Flightpath AugustSeptemberOctober 2017

76 |FLIGHTPATH

La Ferté-Alais

T

he 45th Meeting Aerien Amicale Jean-

Baptiste Salis, ‘Le temp des helices’

(‘Thetimeofthepropeller’),isoneof

Europe’s greatest airshows. Held on a

big grass airfield at la Ferté-Alais over the

PentecostholidayweekendinlateMayor

early June, it is a wonderful setting about

thirty miles south of Paris.

Theeventshowcasestheairfield’sSalis

Collection, together with the ‘Memorial

FlightAssociation’,andanumberofother

French and foreign participants. Primarily a

vintageandwarbirdshow,itfeaturesevery-

thingfromtheearliestflyingmachinestoa

fewofthelatestjets.

The early days of aviation are always well

represented, and this year was no different

withauniqueformationoftherotaryen-

ginepowered‘Pégoud’BleriotXI-2(atwo

seat Bleriot XI) and the Morane H. While

the Bleriot is well known as the first air-

crafttocrosstheEnglishChannelin1909,

theMoraneH,pilotedbyRolandGarros,

was the first to cross the Mediterranean.

They were joined by a Deperdussin T rep-

lica,poweredbyamodernLycoming,fora

few flybys.

Each morning all of the aircraft were

linedupforastaticdisplay,andjoinedby

manymorethatdidn’tflyontheday,togive

thepublicacloserlook.

La Ferté-Alais is consistently exceptional

andiswellworthavisit.The2018showis

scheduled for 19-20 May. Words and images,

Nigel Hitchman

The fabulous Salis Collection’s Caudron G.III gave a spirited display.

Temporarily based in England, Australian Steve Carter’s Ryan SCW, VH-SCW, flew in the show.

The 1952 Morane Saulnier MS.317 Ed2 G-MOSA.