report by: Thierry Letellier
Every year a significant increasing of the flying activity around Evreux AB is happening on the thirteen of July . This is due to the arrivals for the Flying Display expected to happen the day after over the Paris Champs Elysées avenue . Habitually the Military Parade is open via a flightpass made up of every type of fighters in order in ” Armée de l’air , Aéronavale and Arméee de Terre”. A tradition want that only the fighters are comming to Evreux. Some years ago, the Aeronavale took the décision to not come to Evreux to take part to the flight pass. Some budjetary reasons seems to have been at the origine of this décision. In fact, it was a sad surprise for many poeple habitually joining Evreux for this event. Generally all the Helicopter from the 3 Arms plus Gendarmerie and Sécurité Civile join their part of the flightpass from Creil AB or Le Bourget military facility.
On this thirteen of july 2013, following the good weather expectations; i decided to take my chance outside the base around the runway 04 final. Arriving early in the morning, were noted as already arrived, the whole Rafale délégation From Mont de Marsan AB and Saint-dizier AB with the full German Air Force Eurofighter délégation. The first plane to arrive was an ALAT PC6/B2-H2 from ” Escadrille de Transport et Convoyage de Materiel ” at Montauban . Just after that came 6 Mirage 2000C from EC-005 at Orange AB.
Some touch and go were done to burn the surplus of fuel before landing for our great pleasure. At the beginning of the afternoon the sun circuit obliged me to find another place on the other side of the axes. Just after having found the right position a first pair of fighters arrived. They were 2 Mirage2000-5 from EC-002 at Luxeuil AB. Just after the landing the next contact was establised by radio with 3 Mirage 2000D from EC-003 at Nancy AB. They were immediately followed by a pair of Alpha Jets from Cazaux AB. From the same base but for the Belgian AF came 2 other Alpha Jets.Afterwards came the, most awaited planes for this mémorable journey : three Mirage F-1 CR from Mont de Marsan AB. To complete the A-jets délégation arrived then a pair from EAC00.314 at Tours AB.
On the fourteen i took the chance outside the base for the departures. With their specific departures Rafales and Eurofighters were not possible to shoot in good conditions. That the raison why i decided to return at the Runway threshold to get the recovery of the Eurofighter. They were the sole planes to land after the flying display. All the other fighters took the direction of their own base just after the flightpass. To conclude , i would say that i spend two very pleasant days with a significant traffic from four different countries and different types of aircraft.