Paris Défilé (flypast) what to expect for La Fête National Française 2024 (Bastille day) event.

 The Paris Défilé Flypast practice for 2024 was taking place as usual at Base Aérienne 123 Bricy, just outside the French city of Orléans. Due to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, the Défilé will not be held on the Champs-Élysées. Instead, it will fly up the l'Avenue Foch. For the flypast practice at BA123, this would mean an approach from the East towards Bricys runway 25 rather than the normal runway 07.

BA123 is the centre for the first practice and debrief for the team leaders. Some of the aircraft arrived the day before the practice date, and as usual, so did we. As you will see, the weather was slightly overcast to very overcast, but at least it would take place on the scheduled day, unlike the previous two years, which were rescheduled.

0137/F-RBAX A400M and Rafale B 354/30-FU 

The rest is a photographic record of what you may see from your locations across Paris for the Défilé at La Fête Nationale Française, also known as Bastille Day, on July 14th, 2024. 

F-ZAFT/FT Fokker 100 Armée de l'Air DGA-CEV coming from BA120 at Cazaux. Although it flies daily at Cazaux, this was the main reason for my visit this year.

 

 

530/3-OL Mirage 2000B from EC02.003 makes a missed approach. It is not part of the Défilé.

0012/F-RBAE A400M from ET01.061, landing back at Bricy and bringing my visit to an end.

Good hunting on Sunday.

Happy Days!

St Dizier Airshow 2022 "Journées Portes Ouvertes" at Base Ariene BA113.

With the "Meeting National" 2022 staged at Cognac Châteaubernard, it was now time for BA113 at Saint-Dizier/Robinson airbase to open its gates to the public with "Journées Portes Ouvertes."

Saint-Dizier/Robinson is home to the French Air Force's 4th Fighter Wing (4e Escadre de Chasse), which comprises three squadrons.

EC01.004 'Gascogne', EC02.004 'La Fayette', and ETR03.004 'Aquitaine', which is the combined Rafale training unit or 'Escadron de transformation', and includes Rafale M from the Marine alongside AdlA Rafales. 

Although JPO is secondary to the "Meeting National", it did not feel like it at St Dizier on the weekend of the 25th and 26th of June 2022. Blessed with relatively good weather on Friday, June 24th, we were treated to various military aircraft arriving from across France and Europe.

On Saturday, with an early start, we toured the base, photographing the flight line and preserved aircraft found stored around the base. It was also interesting to visit the maintenance hangars and see the levels of work being carried out on some of the Rafale jets.

Here are the results of a great weekend.

313/4-HI Rafale B ETR03.004 "Bison" seen recovering to  BA113 at Saint Dizier/Robinson.

A lineup of mixed Rafale types from ETR03.004 'Aquitaine' and the combined training unit  'Escadron de transformation'  lined up in the static display and armed with the varied armaments they could be seen to deploy with. 

The Patrouille de France arrived over St-Dizier, escorted by two home-based Rafales. 

326/4-HY Rafale B EC01.004 "Gascogne" ESC BR66 "Faucon Egyptian".

314/4-HP Rafale B EC01.004 " Gascogne" SPA37 "Charognard".

Sheltered Rafale 326/4-HY  EC01.004 "Gascogne" ESC BR66 "Faucon Eygtian". 

345/4-FL EC02.004 "La Fayette" SPA81 "Levrier".

351/4-FR Rafale B EC02.004 "La Fayette" N214 "Tête de Soissons". 

Patrouille de France catches some attractive light as they arrive from Base 701 Salon-de-Provence in Southern France.

The T-785 Falcon 900EX arrives early, ahead of the two FA-18Cs of SwissAF.

J-5014 F/A-18C SwissAF is making a fast descent across St. Dizier.

643/3-JD Mirage 2000D  EC03.003 "Ardennes" BR44 "Sanglier assis" from Nancy-Ochey.

643/3-JD Mirage 2000D  EC03.003 "Ardennes" BR44 "Sanglier assis" holding the nose up for the photographers.

16/709FR PC-21 EAC00.315 from BA709 Chateaubernard at Cognac. 

Flying for the"Mustang-Ray" demonstration team.

17/709FS PC-21 EAC00.315 from BA709 Chateaubernard at Cognac. 

09/709FK PC-21 EAC00.315 from BA709 Chateaubernard at Cognac. 

ET-613 F-16BM RDAF touching down at St Dizier. (Have Glass V colours).

55/2-EU Mirage 2000-5F EC01.002 "Cigognes" SPA103 'Cigogne de Fonck".

55/2-EU Mirage 2000-5F. Sadly, they will soon be taken out of service.

55/2-EU Mirage2000-5F makes the photographers happy with a brake chute. 

E176/8-MB Alpha Jet E from EE03.008 "Côte de d'Or" at BA120 Cazaux in the Southwest of France.

They are some of the last still flying and are used in the aggressor role.

78/XE TBM700A CEAM.

117/XN TBM700A ET00.043 "Médoc" ECA43 from BA106 Bordeaux/Mérignac.

198/64-HF CN235M from ET03.062 "Vercors" at BA105 at Evreux.

La Patrouille de France.

E48/6 Alpha Jet E EPAA 20.300/PdF.

FA-67 F-16AM "Dream Viper" 2Wing BAF.

0019/F-RBAG A400M ET01.061 "Touraine" VB101 "Tête d'hibou".

I made the best display on the Friday practice and earned well-deserved applause from the photographers.

0019/F-RBAG A400M ET01.061 "Touraine" VB101 "Tête d'hibou". In action over St Dizier.

0019/F-RBAG A400M ET01.061 "Touraine" VB101 "Tête d'Hibou". Passing with a tremendous coloured sky behind.

0019/F-RBAG A400M ET01.061 "Touraine" VB101 "Tête d'Hibou". Landing after its display.

A124/11-RJ Jaguar A, EC 11

A113/7-HT Jaguar A, EC7. Both Jaguars are in front of the tower.

52-8997/1-PA F-84F. Near the main gate and marked as 29094.

046 CM-170 Magister.

16524/338-H T-33A

347/30-FB SO.4050N Vautour EC30.

16/AO Mirage 1VA is one of two preserved at St Dizier. The second one can be seen in photo number six, under the landing Rafale, serial 61/CH, Mirage 1VP, and belongs to the Aeroclub Vol Moteur collection.

Access to the collection is from the other side of the airfield.

16/AO Mirage 1VA FAF.

Early morning at St Dizier.

16/AO Mirage 1VA et 0019/F-RBAG A.400M ET01.061.

16/AO Mirage 1VA et 0019/F-RBAG A.400M ET01.061.

55/2-EU Mirage 2000-5F EC01.002.

198/64-HF CN-235M.300 ET03.062.

La Patrouille de France.

Rafale taxiing.

ET-613  F-16BM FWS RDAF is taking off for its display.

ET-613  F-16BM FWS RDAF. (Dannebrog colours).

J-5002 F/A-18C Swiss Air Force display is complete.

046/F-UJCL A330MRT ERVTS 01.031

046/F-UJCL A330MRT ERVTS 01.031 and 313/4-HL Rafale B ETR 03.004.

Very different flying speeds 313/4-HL Rafale B and F-GEKD a Robin DR400 from the St Dizier flying club.

 

F-AZTK as 3198/DL-UI Luftwaffe SK-15A Ex Swedish air force 5020.

F-AZKT MD-311 ex 260/316-KT FAF.

N52533 PT-17BW  flying as 2390/297 USN and ex-USAAF 41-8831.

 

F-AZHR T-28A as 517749/749 USN ex FAF.

F-AZVN Havard T-6G as 49-2983/983 RCAF ex FAF.

F-AYFM TB-30 as 67/315-WJ Special colours EALA 9/72.

F-AYPT M-62A-3/PT-19 as 163 RNorAF, ex RCAF EW477.

F-BNDD MH1521M ex 240/330-IN.

F-GKJT MH1521M ex 106/33-JT.

F-AZCQ Havard T-6G ex SpAF E.16-193.

350/4-FQ Rafale B.

That's it from a great Airshow 2022 at St-Dizier.

"Happy days indeed".