HOP! Tour 2018 - Epilogue

It’s been over a week since the HOP! Tour ended! I couldn’t write this report any sooner; I was catching up on sleep!

Among the highlights of this tour, I would mention the organizers who did a remarkable job. As a young pilot, I focused solely on flying and sharing my experiences with the public. For example, flight planning involved simple calculations of time, headings, and fuel consumption (not forgetting radio navigation).

The connecting flights went smoothly, with simplified communication that I appreciated:

• Me: “Rennes Info, Hop Tour 25, good morning.”

• Controller: “Hop Tour 25 from Rennes Info, good morning. Radar contact established, continue navigation.”

Because if the controller were to provide us with information like the QNH or transponder code, we would still be there!

There were two briefings each day. The morning briefing covered the weather forecast for the day or the planned activities if we were staying on the ground. The afternoon (or early evening…) briefing was a summary of the day’s events followed by preparation for the next day’s flight.

The welcome we received in the different cities was simply fantastic, better than a red carpet! Whether it was the volunteers from the aviation clubs or the military personnel at the airbases, we were always warmly welcomed. We even had our luggage transported between our airplanes and the aviation clubs.

In fact, the most challenging parts of this HOP! Tour 2018 were the connecting flights to Chartres and back from Aurillac! Notably, on the return flight to Rennes, I had to make a stop in Niort due to weather conditions.

During these fifteen days, I improved my long-distance piloting skills and enhanced my ability to present aviation to the general public. I hope I fulfilled my role as an ambassador!

I’ve created two short videos (from the 90 GB of data), one covering the entire HOP! Tour and the other focusing on my flight in the DC3. Enjoy!