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After a lot of planning, logistics, technical preparations and co-ordination of support people and equipment it was finally time to perform the Bleriot 100-year anniversary flight on Saturday July 25th! As Mikael and the Bleriot flew at Duxford the weekend before it was just a quick transfer to the grass field south of Calais which had been specially prepared for the event. But when Mikael and the rest of the team arrived to the field at 19:00 on the 24th, the promised hangar was already occupied by the two French Bleriots! 
The hangar was already occupied!
This was of course not in the plans and the assembly had to be postponed to the 25th - the same day as the flight. Not the ultimate solution, but with an experienced team and an early wake-up call it wouldn't be a problem. However, this also meant that the planned evening return to Dover and the "base" (i.e. the hotel rooms - which could not refunded) had to be cancelled. Despite very active resistance from a lady within ACdF (Aéro Club de France), some "Good French Forces" managed to arrange two hotel rooms for Mikael, Gunillla and the team. A strange feeling started to grow... At 06:00 on the 25th Mikael and the team entered the field to start assembly. The two French Bleriots were already pulled out of the hangar and were being prepared for their flights, the first one planned to take place at 07:00. 
06:00 at Sangatte/Bleriot Plage
The unloading and assembly of Mikaels Bleriot presented no problems, but when it was time to pull out to fill up with gasoline and castor oil, the French resistance (the angry lady from the hotel) showed up again and ordered us back into the hangar again! Mikaels Bleriot was not to be seen outside the hangar before 17:00 - and a test run of the engine was out of the question! Instead of focusing on important preflight activities Mikael now had to deal with an angry lady who were trying to impose comical restrictions on Mikael and the team. Once again the Good French Forces saved the situation, succeeding to negotiate a compromise: OK to fill up outside the hangar - but no test run until the French Bleriots had started... 
Filling up - outside the hangar...
Now we really started to suspect that the French organizers were doing everything they could to keep all focus on the French Bleriots - and maybe also to make it as hard as possible for the other Bleriots. The agreed program was that one French Bleriot should start at 07:00 and later during the day Mikael should lead the second French, the Dutch and Luxembourg Bleriots to Dover. In case of delay of the French morning flight, also the first French Bleriot should join behind Mikael in the afternoon. Despite this plan, both French Bleriots were being prepared for flights in the morning - and even though the 07:00 start was pushed forward a number of times, "Plan B" (both French flights in the afternoon) was never triggered by the French organizers. Around 09:30(!) the first French Bleriot took off followed by the second a while later... Once the French Bleriots had started and were reported to have landed safely (well done!), we and the two other foreign teams suddenly found it somewhat easier to breathe: No angry ACdF lady swinging her hand bag (yes, it was a Prada...) and over all much fewer organizers looking over our shoulders all the time. The engine was run - which was very appreciated by the large audience! - and there was time for coffee, a crepe and some chatting with the other teams, media and with interested people in general. The weather was of course a concern: The French Bleriots started around 09:30 in light winds and forecasts indicated that the wind in Calais should increase during the day. Nothing exceptional though, even if an early start would have been preferred instead of waiting for the planned slot (take-off 18:30 Calais time to arrive 18:00 Dover time). It was just to wait and see - and during this time the film crew rigged the onboard cameras and some final adjustments of the chase helicopter's position was made. At 17:30 it was time to push the Bleriot into starting position. A lot of applauding people who have waited the whole day to see the take-off and we could confirm that conditions were flyable, but with final decision to be taken at 18:15. Wind was forecasted - and confirmed - to drop in Dover and this was the major concern. As long as the wind didn't increase unexpectedly in Calais, Mikael would finally fly! 
Pushing out to start
Some concerns from the local airport management about the wind was heard, but as the go/no go decision always is taken by the Pilot In Command nobody didn't really pay that much attention to it. Suddenly completely new information popped up, stating that no start would be allowed after 18:43. The French rescue vessels couldn't be used after that due to the tide and when pointing out Mikael's three own rescue boats, a new - previously unknown - French rule was presented: French rescue vessels is a must when starting from France! Not arguing this "rule", it meant that Mikael had to start within a previously unknown window, in practice between 18:30 and 18:43!!! At 18:15 Mikael gave thumbs up and we started to prime the engine and arm the ignition. This triggered a lot of activity and a group of French organizers gathered in front of(!) Mikael's Bleriot, eagerly discussing in French. Gunilla said good bye to Mikael in the Bleriot and hurried away to the R44 chase/camera helicopter, which directly started to wind up. Tord Nilsson put his hands on the propeller and was ready to shout "Contact!" when the helicopter suddenly was ordered (by radio) to shut down! Local French organizers simply "refused permission to start"! In the following confusion we managed to filter out that a "Local Deputy Flight Ofiicer"(?) judged the wind to hard to fly in and that he(!) couldn't take the resposibility for Mikael flying the Bleriot!!! When questioning this, the organizers refused to give a viable explanation and after a while they simply pointed at the watch and said "By the way, now the airport is closed!". When we asked for how long, it was suddenly not only the lack of French rescue boats that was the problem - Patrouille de France and Red Arrows should meet above the channel. And for some strange reason it was out the question to make the flight after the Pdf/RA rendezvous: The airport was closed, period! No matter that weather conditions steadily improved and would offer almost perfect conditions during the evening! 
The flight has just been blocked!
Mikael - still sitting in his Bleriot - and the team was trying to understand what happened and gradually came to the conclusion that the French organizers had managed to stop The Bleriot Flight! And with that also the highlight and the peak of the celebrations in Dover. Not to mention the disappointment of the thousands spectators in Calais and Dover, the Dutch and Luxembourg Bleriots which were intended to follow behind Mikael - and all that has been invested to realize this flight. As a cruel coincidence Patrouille de France passed above with blue/white/red smoke - at the very same moment the Bleriot was pushed off the field towards the hangar... But at that time Mikael had already decided that The Channel should be crossed! If not on same date as Louis Bleriot, then it should be done on the same weekday - a Sunday! A number of phone calls later and an alternative field was located just a few kilometers away. A brief explanation of what had happened and a permission to start the day after was given! After a very fast disassembly and loading of the Bleriot everything was ready for a new try on Sunday 26th! 
Peter flying his R44, with Gunilla in the left seat
Early in the morning on the 26th, the Bleriot was assembled on a nearby airfield - and on an ordinary flight plan and with escort of Peter Holloway and Gunilla in the R44 helicopter, Mikael took off at 09:13 local time to perform the 33 min long flight to Dover - where he made a circle above Dover Castle before landing safely at 08:46 Dover time!!! 
Finally - take-off!!!
However, with only one rescue boat and one helicopter available and with no camera team, it was far from the well-prepared support and coverage on the day before. Besides a private team camera at the field, the only available camera was Gunillas mobile phone camera in the helicopter. 
Mikael, the Bleriot - and the white cliffs of Dover
A lot of people have supported us through this journey, but we would especially like to recognize the following: Paul Tipple - who really worked hard to arrange a special and memorable celebration. SHELL - who supplied fuel for the flight. BREMONT Watch Company Ltd. - who supported us all the way and of course ensured proper timekeeping! EUROTUNNEL/Catherine Cleall-Harding - who arranged transports in a very smooth and efficient way. Peter Holloway - who supported us with his private R44 helicopter both Saturday and Sunday. Our fantastic Swedish team - which kept our spirits up and which worked hard to make this a good and memorable occasion:
Tord & Anna Nilsson, Richard Andersson, Mattias Jönsson & family Mikael & Gunilla
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