The search continues...

So here I was, I decided in favour of Microlight airplanes… so what were the possibilities there?

Luxembourg has only one aero club for ULM flying called Aeroplume, based near the lovely town of Larochette, on an old farm they have their own ULM field. I’ve showed my face there a couple of times and to be honest I didn’t like the atmosphere there, I would go too far if I used the term übermensch but they certainly thought very well of themselves… their website was also not updated for ages and apparently there were no theory lessons coming up. So, missed chance here for the fellows and the search continued.

Luckily Luxembourg is a small country and you only need to drive half an hour to be abroad. So I investigated into the possibilities abroad and the curriculum to be followed to obtain a license for Microlights. I checked Bitburg, very nice airfield; the possibilities were also plenty with two schools but no real aero clubs. Thought of Arlon, but didn’t like the Belgium structure of the curriculum. So I ended up on the site of the FFPLUM, which is the French National Microlight Association and learned a lot about their curriculum on line. I liked it a lot. So I got to their regional chapter and found out that just across the border in Zoufftgen there was an ULM field and club called “les 3 frontieres” (the three borders, as it is 3 border country there) and on a nice Saturday last summer I decided to drive up to it and make some enquiries.

I was instantly welcomed and it felt like meeting friends I hadn’t met yet. Well this is a different experience. I came back several times there and everybody was great, it is a small club and the members are very cooperative, and one day I met with the clubs’ trainer, Patrick, a Luxembourgish guy, he was very clear on things, no maybes or fuzzy talk, straight and direct talk, I like that. Bugger though was that he was in the middle of constructing a Zenair CH650 and could not take me on as a student right away, I will have to wait till next year to start my flying lessons. But no despair I have the whole winter now to learn my theory.

Patrick put me on the ”Manuel du Pilote ULM” for the standard theory curriculum and to be honest, it is quite well written, I thought that the French language would pose some problems but it is all understandable and if things are unclear there are people which I can ask. Furthermore my girlfriend surprised me with some PPL books which provide the same theory in English to back up things which I wouldn’t understand in French. Yep, I told you she is very supportive.

So here we are, I have arrived at my niche, and the big adventure has started. It is like Confucius said; a long journey starts with a small step. And I am on my way.