Magnum, P.I.

 Ok, maybe we won't post every single flight here, there are a lot. But I'm just not super sure I'd trust a pilot dressed like Magnum, P.I.

Sylvain and Noah

 

Is This Just a Flying Blog Now?

All we talk about anymore is airplanes. This time, Noah took Benjamin and Elyse for a flight, and as Anita, his grandmother, was visiting, we brought her along to visit the airfield and see Noah fly. 

Elyse and Benjamin

Elyse, Noah, Benjamin

Anita and Frédéric

Putting the plane away 

Flying Again

 Noah returned home and lost no time getting back up in the sky. Maloé came along, and we flew to Reims and back. With clouds rolling in, the flight was a lot bumpier than I would have liked!

 

News from Noah

 Noah went to Marseille for the week-long CEM été internship. Then he went with the group from Marseille to camp at Colonie Harmonie for two weeks. Camp is in the Ardèche region of France.

As he and the Marseille group went a little early, he got to help get camp ready by helping make the beds and mow the grass. 

Noah, Nathan, Elie

Mont Gerbier de Jonc

Noah's Graduation Party

 As Noah was leaving for all of July, we had his graduation party at the end of June. (Not really a done thing here, which didn't stop us.) 

from left, clockwise: Maloé, Noah, Louis, Clément, Mathilde

Elyse and Benjamin

Logo of the school Noah will be attending

A week later, we found out he passed his baccalauréat. The baccalauréat is a test at the end of high school, partly based on grades during the year, partly based on written and oral tests in junior and senior year, in French, philosophy, and the student's chosen specialty subjects. They choose three specialty subjects for junior year, then drop one before senior year. Noah's were English (dropped after junior year), math, and physics. 

 

10/20 is passing, and 12 and above give you "honors" (assez bien, bien, très bien). 

 

Noah got a "mention très bien." Don't be fooled by the faint praise you hear in the French "très bien," it's "highest honors" in this context.

First Flight with Newly Licensed Pilot Noah

 Noah's pilot's license arrived in the mail a few days ago, and today Benjamin and I flew with him for his first flight as an official, qualified pilot. 

 

Pierrefonds

 Alexa and Robert came to visit us while they were in France, so we took them to Pierrefonds Castle. 

Today's View

 

He did it!

Noah now has his private pilot's license! 

• First discovery flight: April 20, 2022 
• First lesson: April 25, 2023 
• First solo: April 13, 2024 
• Obtained PPL: May 29, 2025!

Philippe, his examiner, and Noah

 

Automotive repair class during vacation

Benjamin avoided a maniac in a blind corner the other day, but didn't manage to also avoid the wall. So he and Frederic changed the door.  

 20 year old minivan, still hanging in there.

Rainy Memorial Day at Belleau Wood

 Noah and I attended a rainy Memorial Day ceremony at the American cemetery in Belleau today. 

Birthday!

We missed Frédéric's birthday last weekend, so we made up for it yesterday.

 

Quick trip to Alabama

 After 99 1/2 years on this earth, my grandma Olgia Rogers Crowe passed on to the next life. She was a steadfast presence in our lives even though we lived far away. We will miss her. 

We took a quick trip to Alabama to join the family in celebrating her life. Despite the sadness of the occasion, we shared good moments with family. Benjamin didn't have any finals, so was also able to meet us in Alabama and then fly back to France with us. 

The Crowe clan

Noah Cognard, Alisa Cognard, Dale & Evelyn Lundy, Benjamin Cognard