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Du 8 au 11 juillet, Andrew DU, pilote de l’équipe de Chine, a pu découvrir notre Centre National de Vol à Voile.

Après 3 vols de 6h réalisés en Duo Discus avec Claude BRIEND MARCHAL, Président délégué du CNVV et une présentation du simulateur par Philippe LEVY, il a été interviewé par Jean-Nicolas BARELIER, Directeur Technique National de la FFVV.

Ils s’étaient rencontrés aux derniers championnats du monde et avaient évoquées des pistes de travail communes.

Interview Andrew DU 10th of july 2018, CNVV

Hello Andrew, you are the first chinese pilot to fly in CNVV (Saint-Auban) for the last 20 years. Can you introduce yourself to the french people ?

Hello, I began to fly in 1998… but with a paraglider.

My first gliding flight was in 2004, in China (in an old Chinese flight school). In 2006, i organized a visit to WGC in Sweden, a trip combining study and travel, in order to understand the different types of gliders, the racing flights etc… because almost no soaring flights were possible in China between 2006 and 2016, I decided to go to Autralia every winter to improve my gliding skills. And in 2012, I became an Australian FI.

You are at the origin of the « soaring China project ». Can you tell us more about it ?

I flew all over the world in the last 10 years and i know now that China can be a gliding country.

The aims of our projects are :

committing more and more chinese people to understand what soaring is and creating a community of pilots. We want to promote this great sport and improve chinese pilot’s skills
allowing foreigners to come to fly in China and to set records. In the west part of China, we have very good thermals, free airspace and great ridges !
But, because regulations and paperwork are very complicated now in China (airspace, licences, airworthiness…), our trainees have to learn abroad (in Australia and Europe).. After this stage, we will be able to create a corporation in China.

How did you decide to come to fly here, at the CNVV ?

Because you suggested it to me when we met in Benalla (Australia) in January 2017 (LOL) ! And you gave me some very good reasons to come ! Of course, i am glad to discover a new soaring base but it was not in my plans 18 months ago

Could you give the Chinese trainees some good reasons for coming to fly here ?

The area is famous for gliding (best air mass in Europe). Landscape is beautiful (mountains, lavander fields, typical french small towns etc…). Basic training is possible (different kinds of flights). Facilities and amenities are very good.

What is your next step ?

Given the potential here, we could organize a partnership between our « soaring China project » and CNVV. Our trainees could learn more about mountain flights at the CNVV and, sooner or later, experienced french pilots could fly in west China to launch the development of gliding activities in my country.

We wish you all the best in your projects and look forward to meeting you again here in Saint-Auban.

Interview conducted by Jean-Nicolas BARELIER, Technical manager of the french gliding federation.