Geneva, the conclusion of a 6 months' trip

Just like a new beginning, the very last flight was a return to Geneva. After 6 months of flying east, the airplane came back to Geneva from West! Actually they went to Italy to meet up with Katsu and the Frecce Tricolori, the Italian display Team! They flew then via the Rhone Valley in order to meet up with the French Team before heading towards GVA. It is then a flight from west coming from south!

A warm and nice welcome to our home base for HB-IRJ with water canon salute and especially a fantastic coincidence for me. I had to fly for my Airline, easyJet Switzerland that day.

Upon checkin in for our flight, the airplane we were supposed to fly was delayed for about 1 hour. This made my day for once!! I could then join the arrival of HB-IRJ on the tarmac and greet Francisco and Roger Mills, Roger being the fastest DC-3 pilot as he also flew Concorde from 1987 to 2000 for British Airways. Great to meet everyone on the tarmac of "our" airport!

Frecce Tricolori

Arrival in GVA

The old meets the new

Back to where HB-IRJ started!!

French Air display Team, Patrouille de France

The following days were spent in Sion for the last Breitling meeting. Many displays of great venue and also some DC-3 flight flown with Roger and Francisco. It all went smooth and brought to an end an incredible adventure.

Many thanks to my readers, my followers and anyone who believe in Aviation, the one with a capital A.

"The day will come when true Aviators won't have their time on Earth any more, when this day arrives, I will hang up my coat and take a well deserved retirement. Until then I shall continue to enjoy the freedom of flight, the pureness of it and strive to be the best, as much as I can"

Raphaël Favre, 2020

My last RTW flight in a DC-3 DUX-BQH

Duxford to Biggin Hill. How could you have ever imagined doing this in 2017 in a DC-3 with a group of fantastic friends?

In my career so far, never could I have ever dreamed hard enough. This was the last ever flight for me of this amazing trip, a trip going back to 2015 when I type rated on the DC-3. This timepiece brought us back in time like never before. 

It was the first time in history a DC-3 made a Round the World Tour and probably the last time also. To be a member of this closed community makes me peaceful and happy. In order to finish this part of the Tour, landing in Biggin Hill was almost necessary. This famous airfield is well known to any aviator who can relate to historical flights. Now it is a small place south east of London where quite a lot of business jets land. The day ended with some tearful goodbyes to our team members but also to HB-IRJ, the Grand Old Lady. At this time I had no clue wether I would be flying again this admirable airplane. So yes, a dream came true and now it is time to say "Au revoir".

Many thanks to every single person I met in this trip, especially Francisco. Without you nothing would have been happening. 

Paul who's expertise in every DC-3 domain led to a smooth an uneventful trip.

Katsu, Greg, Bastien for your professional pictures and movies and good (bad!) sense of humour.

Michiru for your kindness, your great help in general also.

Mireille and Markus, for who you are, we love you!

Hans, for your love of aviation and passion of DC-3!

Alex, for being always available and a happy pilot-passenger!

Every other co flyer who shared the hard work to prepare this trip (Yannick, Gaby)

Mike, without you and your connexions we wouldn't have been able to secure so many good places and AVGAS.

The Japanese team, every single person.

Peter, Team Drinks and your support!

Bob, fitter at 89 than anyone else!

Thomas, the most frequent flyer M/C (Chief Purser)!

Marie, my wife now, my everything, thank you soooo much I love you for ever.

South of London towards Biggin Hill

The great Team