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The view flying over Paris, France, and highlighting the Eiffel Tower which is lit up and showcased in the lower-middle section of the photo.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Switzerland and Italy. That includes sev- eral trips across the Mediterranean Sea to the Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily.
COPA Pilot: Do you have a favorite flight and/or one you take often?
Lechartier: We have a second home in the French Basque country, a four- hour Cirrus flight from our hometown of Rabat to Biarritz (LFBZ) or San Sebastian (LESO). For this trip, flying our own aircraft is unbeatable as the airline alternative is an eight-hour feat.
COPA Pilot: What do you like most about flying?
Lechartier: Like most of us, I enjoy the incredible sense of freedom brought by flying my aircraft, but the one thing that brings me the most joy is the incredible stimulation. When I fly, I’m an engineer running various systems analyzing the weather conditions, busy with “what if”
failure scenarios, and at the same time I’m a free bird, a poet marveling at the beauty of an infinity of nuances of green, and the reflection of a sunbeam into a cloud. Simultaneously, both sides of my brain are enjoying the flight.
COPA Pilot: When did you join COPA, and how did you hear about it?
Lechartier: In 2009 during the 13-hour flight from Wick, Scotland, to Rabat, Morocco, Luke Lysen told me about COPA. I joined immediately and have been a member ever since.
COPA Pilot: Do you frequent the forums? What COPA events have you attended – CPPP, CDM, PIC, regional activities, Migration – if any?
Lechartier: I read the forums several times a week and have learned so much! My favorite part is the A&P section. I’ve never been able to arrange to attend a COPA event, but I surely will.
COPA Pilot: What do you think the ben- efits are of being a member of COPA?
Lechartier: I love having this worldwide web of friends, always ready to share anything and everything – knowledge, parts, beers, restaurant and health care tips. Even the occasional rough words help one appreciate many benevolent discussions.
COPA Pilot: What are your future plans? Are there any big trips, licenses or dif- ferent aircraft on the radar?
Lechartier: I’d love to make an around- the-world trip. I will probably start with a flight across the pond. Oshkosh could be a good excuse. Those trips will hap- pen when my marvelous children (ages 17, 12 and 10) prefer spending time on their own. Until then, we are enjoying those precious years.
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JULY 2023 COPA Pilot