At 12 years old,
Eleonaure Dufour is our youngest
student
By Eric Dufour, February
2000
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Beginning at the age of eight, my daughter
Eleonaure asked for her first tandem ride with me, on the beach
in Florida. Since that time, she has done so many
paramotor tandem rides, that I have lost count.
She likes to be in the air: "Higher!
Higher daddy! Turn! Turn more daddy!" |
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Eleonaure is now 12 and had been asking for weeks to fly solo. She
was doing well in towing and on the simulator, understood well the
flight pattern and knew when to flare before landing. Eleonaure's
persistence to solo made me realize she was serious but I found her
still too small to foot launch.
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| Eleonaure, beside Michelle
Daniele, just before her solo flight.
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| On a beautiful day in
Albuquerque, New Mexico, we went over the solo exam together one
more time, while on the road to the training field. She was ready.
Because she was light, I sent her solo on a paramotor on wheels (trike).
She launched on her first attempt, flew for 20
minutes around the field, killed her engine and landed softly in front
of me. |
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| Eleonaure in her solo flight |
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We all celebrated the event at dinner.
My daughter opened a bottle of non-alcoholic
champagne and we toasted her accomplishment.
The adults of course, had also the
traditional solo beer.
February 3rd 2000 became an important
date for Eleonaure... and her daddy. |
| A memorable dinner for Eleonaure. |
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After this solo flight, Eléonaure kept flying tandem with daddy, but
didn't ask to fly again a paramotor as the
pilot... untill 3 years later, when she wanted again being the pilot
in command. And at age 15, she did 12 other flights by
herself.
 Click
here to see the video of her "second solo
flight"
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