Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article Jenna Sundel is a Newsweek reporter based in New Jersey She has in-depth knowledge of crime and courts She is a graduate of Montclair State University You can get in touch with Jenna by emailing j.sundel@newsweek.com either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content Video posted to X appears to show two military pilots ejecting from their planes after a collision in France The incident happened at around 3:40 p.m. on Tuesday during a training drill involving two Patrouille de France jets in Saint-Dizier, The Sun reported these accidents stir public fear due to the perceived loss of control and mortality risks Experts advise coping strategies like mindfulness and staying informed to manage anxiety emphasizing that flying remains one of the safest modes of transportation The video shows planes descending and a pilot falling alongside the jets The pilot then deploys a parachute as they get closer to the ground 2 avions de la patrouille de France qui se sont heurté pendant l’entraînement ( Ba113 de saint dizier ) les 2 pilotes ont l’air de s’être parachuté pic.twitter.com/psS76fpsYH The French Air Force team told the outlet that both pilots and a passenger ejected and were "found conscious." French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu confirmed the accident and said on X that emergency services had been mobilized He added that the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of the Armed Forces would coordinate their response The Sun reported that one of the pilots was taken to the hospital One plane crashed into silos while the other is believed to have landed in a canal Another video of the incident shows blue white and red smoke flares coming from the planes BREAKING: 2 Alpha Jets from Patrouille de France collide during training exercise in Saint-Dizier, Haute-Marne; pilots ejected. pic.twitter.com/BX26smcblh The Patrouille de France is a French Air Force aerobatic team The unit was officially commissioned in 1953 does stunt demonstrations and air parades at special events like inaugurations The Patrouille de France was featured in the 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony The unit flew over the Seine River as the games began in Paris The unit also did a flyby over Paris during the France segment of the 2020 Summer Olympics closing ceremony Earlier this month, the city of Saint-Dizier announced on X that the Patrouille de France would be training in the region from March 24 to March 28 The exercises were scheduled to take place from 11 a.m The city warned residents about possible noise pollution and thanked them for their understanding on X: "An accident involving two Alpha Jets from the Patrouille de France during rehearsals has just occurred in eastern France." A night exercise was also scheduled on March 26 between 3 a.m It is unclear if that exercise will continue as scheduled Do you have a story that Newsweek should be covering Do you have any questions about this story Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair We value your input and encourage you to rate this article Newsletters in your inbox See all The three pilots of the two Alpha Jets ejected and were "found alive and conscious" The two aircraft were taking part in rehearsals not far from the Air Base 113 in Saint-Dizier ShareSavePeople cheer as power comes back on in MadridResidents applauded as the lights came back on in Spain's capital, after a huge power cut brought the country to a standstill. Watch: Traffic chaos as Spain and Portugal face power outagesFrom traffic lights turning off in Spain, to Metro stations plunged into darkness in Portugal - power outages have caused havoc. Why this Conclave means it's harder than ever to predict the next PopeThe BBC's religion editor Aleem Maqbool explains why it's so difficult to guess who will be the next pontiff. Watch: How the Vatican said goodbye to Pope FrancisHundreds of thousands of mourners gather in Rome to pay tribute to the late pontiff. People line the streets as Popemobile carries coffin through RomeThe Pope has chosen to be buried in a simple coffin at the church of Santa Maria Maggiore. Crowd applauds as coffin begins final journey The Pope is being laid to rest at the church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. Pope Francis' coffin laid outside in St Peter's SquareThe pontiff's funeral is being held days after he died at the age of 88. Applause heard as Zelensky arrives for Pope Francis' funeralApplause heard as Zelensky arrives for Pope Francis' funeral US President Trump pays respects by Pope's coffinThousands have gathered in Rome to pay their respects to the late pontiff. Crowds gather in Rome ahead of Pope's funeralThe BBC's Sarah Rainsford says people from all over the world have gathered to pay their respects. Why Pope Francis won't be buried in the VaticanPope Francis will be buried in Rome's church of Santa Maria Maggiore, breaking a 100-year-old tradition. Pope mourners queue for 'chance to say goodbye'Pope Francis will remain lying in an open coffin until his funeral on Saturday Pope Francis's last public appearance on Easter SundayThe pontiff's last public appearance was for an Easter Sunday blessing at the Vatican's St Peter's Square. Watch: Pope blesses crowd as Easter celebrated worldwideThe most important date in the Christian calendar is being marked around the world. Watch moment Vladimir Putin announces 'Easter truce'It is unclear if Ukraine has accepted the terms or already discussed the plans for the pause in fighting with Russia. How BBC Verify investigated the seized homes of MariupolA look behind the investigation by BBC Verify's Olga Robinson and Christine Jeavans into the seized homes of Mariupol. Spanish police uncover illegal underground shooting rangePolice suspect the range was used by a weapons trafficking ring to test assault rifles and other arms. New speed climbing record set in the Swiss AlpsA climbing pair shatter the record for completing the daunting north faces of a famed trio of Swiss mountains. we are discussing the madness that occurred at the Ft Lauderdale Pro Swim Ledecky’s world record in the 800 free proves that age is seemingly just a number for her but it also makes the Rio 2016 swim she beat out more memorable Marchand has a few areas of improvement to work on if he hopes to return to his Paris form at the World Championships this summer in Singapore October 14th, 2024 Brazil, Latin America & Caribbean, Europe, International, News, Previews & Recaps The 32nd International Meeting of Saint Dizier concluded over the weekend with the competition representing a tune-up opportunity ahead of the French Elite Short Course Championships later this month Along with a handful of the French Olympic contingent Polish and Greek swimmers were among the women’s and men’s fields Olympic medalist Florent Manaudou took on 2 events on Saturday racing in the men’s 50m fly and 50m breast contests In the former, 33-year-old Manaudou notched a time of 23.74 in the heats to claim the 2nd seed behind leader Thomas Verhoeven of the Netherlands who touched in 22.98 which saw Verhoeven ultimately take the win in a slightly slower mark of 23.04 although he still got to the wall over a second ahead of the pack Manaudou settled for silver in the 50m breast final, registering a mark of 26.90 as one of two sub-27-second performers. Grabbing the gold ahead of the Frenchman was Koen de Groot of the Netherlands De Groot’s teammate Maaike de Waard made her presence known across 2 events on Saturday as well topping both the women’s 50m back and 50m fly races 28-year-old de Waard clinched the 50m fly win in 25.53 and followed up with a winning effort of 26.53 in the 50m back. Poland’s Adela Piskorska snagged 50m back silver in 27.42 as the next-closest competitor Brazilian Tiago Gomes rounded out the podium in 3:45.84 Finally, on Saturday, Kim Busch of the Netherlands wrangled up the victory in the women’s 100m free producing a mark of 54.82 as the sole swimmer under 55 seconds Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC More from Retta RaceSee All Subscribe to our newsletter and receive our latest updates You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed THIS is the terrifying moment two planes dramatically crashed into each other while performing a stunt - as both pilots and a passenger were forced to eject The extraordinary footage was captured by onlookers who were left frightened by the accident involving two Patrouille de France jets in Saint-Dizier The incident occurred on March 25 at around 15:40pm near Air Base 113 during a training drill including seven Alpha Jets The Air Force team said that both pilots and one passenger were able to eject and were "found conscious" Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu said: "An accident involving two Alpha Jets has just occurred in eastern France "Emergency services are being mobilised." In the shocking social media footage, a handful of planes are seen descending as at least one of them falls and spins towards the ground. Just before the collision, a plane can be seen approaching the one ahead of it, before it strikes the leading plane's rear. They were performing an acrobatic stunt while firing their iconic French white, red and blue smoke flares. The pilot manages to deploy their parachute just in time saving them from an almost certainly fatal fall One of the planes crashed into the Calin silos in Saint-Dizier while the other is believed to have landed in a canal In the footage the planes partially disintegrated before hitting the floor At least three people were involved in the collision including a pilot who was taken to hospital a company suffered damages to their building after the planes hit the ground The Calin company in Villiers-en-Lieu was affected by the crash and a fire started The Patrouille de France is a French Air Force aerobatic team responsible for plane stunts demonstrations They are effectively the French version of Britain's famous Red Arrows stunt team The Patrouille de France's demonstrations have taken place in Paris for national holidays such as the traditional Bastille Day a trainer and ground attack aircraft that made its first flight in 1973 It has been in service with the French Air Force since 1977 and from 1981 it has been the flagship aircraft of the Patrouille de France For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun Stay in the know with The National Interest newsletter © Copyright 2025 Center for the National Interest We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorised as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyse how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyse the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customised advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyse the effectiveness of the ad campaigns The French air and space force said all three pilots on the planes had managed to eject and were found alive before being taken to hospital for treatment An investigation has been opened to establish the cause of the crash Metrics details The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on mental health with evidence suggesting an enduring mental health crisis Studies worldwide observed increased usage of antidepressants Our study aimed to fill this gap by investigating whether the surge in the number psychotropic drug consumers in France persisted 2 years after the first lockdown particularly focusing on age and gender differences We conducted a national retrospective observational study based on the French national insurance database We retrieved all prescriptions of anxiolytics and antidepressants dispensed in pharmacies in France for the period 2015–2022 We performed interrupted time series analyses based on Poisson models for five age classes (12–18; 19–25; 26–50; 51–75; 76 and more) to assess the trend before lockdown the gap induced and the change in trend after the number of consumers remained constant for antidepressants while it decreased for anxiolytics and hypnotics a long-term increase was observed in the 12–18 and 19–25 groups for the three drug classes the increases were more pronounced for women than men except for hypnotics where the trends were similar The number of people using antidepressants continues to increase more than 2 years after the first lockdown showing a prolonged effect on mental health This effect is particularly striking among adolescents and young adults confirming the devastating long-term impact of the pandemic on their mental health Monthly hospital admissions for COVID-19 in France longitudinal studies remain rare and difficult to implement While those studies assessed psychotropic utilization until 2020 or 2021 no study has explored the evolution of psychotropic consumption in the general population after the end of the sanitary crisis These findings suggest that the pandemic’s impact on mental health persists data as recent as in this study were not yet analyzed for all the age classes and with an interest in gender effect The primary objective of our study was thus to investigate whether the increase in the number of consumers of psychotropic drugs in the general population during the pandemic has been sustained 2 years avec the first year of COVID-19 The secondary objective was to assess whether changes in psychotropics differed according to age and gender These objectives could be achieved using the French health insurance database covering the whole population The SNDS contains comprehensive individual-level data and medical consumption for outpatient and inpatient care and medications dispensed at community pharmacies it does not document drugs dispensed in hospitals We followed the reference methodology MR-007 of the Commission nationale de l’informatique et des libertés which provides a framework for access to data from the SNDS and the conduct of retrospective studies The age groups are structured as follows: 12–18 for school-aged children The analysis encompassed the overall population and was further stratified by age and sex We first described the annual number of consumers of antidepressants calculating the rate of consumers per 100 inhabitants based on Institut National de la Statistique et Etudes Economiques (INSEE) population data The annual number of consumers for a drug is defined as the number of patients who receive it at least once during the year who have had at least one dispensing of the drug in a community pharmacy we analyzed consumption trends by examining the monthly number of individuals receiving at least one box of respectively antidepressants To focus on the impact of lockdown, we analyzed the trend part as the monthly number of consumers. A Poisson model was used to model this count. To evaluate the differences in psychotropic drug consumption trends before and after the first lockdown, we used an interrupted time series (ITS) model, characterized by the following equation: where \({y}_{t}\) denotes the number of individuals for month \(t, 1\le t\le 96\) (from January 2015 to December 2022), and \({\lambda }_{t}\) represents the average number of individuals for month \(t\). \({D}_{t}\) is an indicator variable that represents the post-lockdown period: it is coded 0 if \(t\) is lower than the time of lockdown \({T}_{L}\) (March 2020; t = 64), and coded 1 otherwise. The term \(\left(t-{T}_{L}\right){D}_{t}\) represents the delay in months since the first lockdown. We presented the monthly number of patients, the estimated model, and the associated counterfactual representing the expected trend without major events like lockdowns. In 2015, the numbers of individuals consuming antidepressants, anxiolytics, and hypnotics per 100 inhabitants were 6.5, 14.3, and 6.1, respectively. In 2022, the rate for antidepressants remained constant (6.5/100 inhabitants), while it decreased for anxiolytics and hypnotics to 13.1 and 4.5 individuals per 100 inhabitants, respectively. The monthly number of individuals receiving antidepressants was decreasing by 0.021% (CI95 [0.0042; 0.022]) before the lockdown and saw an instant increase of 1.652% (CI95 [1.588; 1.716]) in March 2020 compared to the expected count without the lockdown (representing a difference of 33,222 individuals). After the lockdown, the number increased by 0.313% (CI95 [0.308; 0.317]) per month. The monthly number of individuals receiving anxiolytics was decreasing by 0.094% (CI95 [0.093; 0.094]) before the lockdown, with an instant increase of 3.701% (CI95 [3.647; 3.755]) in March 2020 compared to the expected count without the lockdown (representing a difference of 114,744 individuals). After the lockdown, this number of individuals continued to decrease by 0.100% (CI95 [0.096; 0.102]) per month. The monthly number of individuals receiving hypnotics was decreasing by 0.526% (CI95 [0.525; 0.528]) before the lockdown, with an instant increase of 4.000% (CI95 [3.911; 4.085]) in March 2020 compared to the expected count without the lockdown (representing a difference of 61,756 individuals). After the lockdown, this number of individuals continued to decrease by 0.117% (CI95 [0.111; 0.124]) every month. For the 12–18 age group, the monthly number of individuals receiving antidepressants was multiplied by 1.007 (+ 0.651%) before the first lockdown. At the onset of the lockdown, the number of individuals was multiplied by 1.030 compared to the expected number of individuals without the appearance of the lockdown (which corresponds to a difference of 321 individuals). After the lockdown, the number of individuals was multiplied by 1.026 each month (+ 2.614%). The increase after the lockdown was lower in other age groups, with respective monthly multiplication factors of 1.016 (+ 1.602%), 1.003 (+ 0.324%), 1.002 (+ 0.245%), and 1.002 (+ 0.202%) for the 19–25, 26–50, 51–75, and 76 + age groups. Concerning anxiolytics, trends prior to the initial lockdown showed slight fluctuations by age group. The lockdown period saw an increase in all age groups. Post-lockdown, there was an increase in the 12–18 and 19–25 age groups, with an increase of + 0.803% and + 0.485% for the 12–18 and 19–25 groups, respectively. Other age groups experienced declines. Evolution of monthly drug consumers from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2022, according to age group and drug considered Evolution of monthly drug consumers from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2022 according to age and sex group and drug considered the most important differences between females and males were found for the 12–18 and the 19–25 age groups with respective increases of + 1.132% versus + 0.151% for 12–18 and + 2.171% versus + 0.121% for 19–25 For hypnotic consumption, the 12–18 age group reported the most pronounced increases with + 4.993% and + 5.117% for females and males, respectively. In the 19–25 years old group, females presented an increase of + 0.835% while males had an increase of + 0.321%. Coefficients for other age groups are closer between men and women and are presented in Table 2 where there has been a continuous rise since 2020 The important increase in antidepressant and anxiolytic use among adolescents may be related to the severity of their symptoms and/or limited access to psychiatric and psychological support limiting non-pharmacological treatment options A combination of these factors likely contributes to the increased difficulties experienced by women due to the pandemic it would be important to assess whether the increase in antidepressant and anxiolytic use is associated with a decrease or increase in suicidal attempts due to more systematic treatment of mental health symptoms or more severe symptoms The increase in demand for medical consultations likely reflects an increase in symptoms we considered a large reference period of 5 years before the pandemic to evaluate trends in the use of psychotropic drugs by stratifying the population by age and sex we were able to identify more precisely the most severely affected populations Our study has some limitations that should be considered the results are based on treatments delivered in pharmacies and it is not possible to determine the number of treatments consumed anxiolytics and antidepressants may have been prescribed for reasons other than anxiety or depression we cannot generalize our results to other countries with different pandemic impacts the statistical model used can be discussed as it could be considered non-optimal according to the complexity of the prescription rates’ evolution over time we do not have access to more detailed sociodemographic information and evolutionary data at the diagnostic level the rising antidepressant use indicates a prolonged effect on mental health particularly striking among adolescents and young adults anxiolytic and hypnotic consumption has also critically increased since the lockdown highlighting the devastating pandemic’s prolonged impact on their mental health Addressing young people’s mental health is a critical public issue and there is an urgent need to strengthen prevention The data are available only with authorization from the French health insurance medico-administrative database Institut National de la Statistique et Etudes Economiques French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies French health insurance medico-administrative database The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on first-line primary care in southeastern France: feedback on the implementation of a real-time monitoring system based on regional health insurance data Place of death in France: impact of the first wave (March–May 2020) of the COVID-19 epidemic depression among the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in the general population: a systematic review Immediate psychological responses and associated factors during the initial stage of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic among the general population in China Factors associated with mental health disorders among university students in France confined during the COVID-19 pandemic The psychological impact of quarantine and how to reduce it: rapid review of the evidence Impact of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns on the consumption of anxiolytics hypnotics and antidepressants according to age groups: a French nationwide study Long-term impact of COVID-19 on mental health among the general public: a nationwide longitudinal study in China Mental health symptoms of university students 15 months after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in France Mental health during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: a review and recommendations for moving forward Psychotropic drugs consumption during 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns: evidence of a surprising resilience of the drugs delivery system in France Psychotropic medication use and psychiatric disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic among Danish children Sales trends of psychotropic drugs in the COVID-19 pandemic: a national database study in Brazil Gender differences in emotional response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Spain Psychotropic drug purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy and their relationship with mobility restrictions and hypnotics during the COVID-19 pandemic in Scandinavia and consumption of psychotropic drugs during lockdown by COVID-19 according to gender and age Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychotropic drug consumption Trends in psychotropic drug consumption among French military personnel during the COVID-19 epidemic Psychotropic consumption before and during COVID-19 in Asturias Suicidality in children and adolescents: lessons to be learned from the COVID-19 crisis Association between suicide behaviours in children and adolescents and the COVID-19 lockdown in Paris France: a retrospective observational study Regional differences in access to the outdoors and outdoor play of Canadian children and youth during the COVID-19 outbreak Stress and mental health among children/adolescents and young adults during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Switzerland Trajectories of children and adolescents attending a psychiatric emergency unit during the COVID-19 confinements: 2020–2022 longitudinal study Urgent care and suicidal behavior in the child and adolescent population in a psychiatric emergency department in a Spanish province during the two COVID-19 states of alarm French administrative health care database (SNDS): the value of its enrichment Seasonal changes and decrease of suicides and suicide attempts in France over the last 10 years Seasonal trends in antidepressant prescribing anxiety and self-harm in adolescents and young adults: an open cohort study using English primary care data Briot M, Opeps O. parlementaire d`évaluation des politiques de santé. Le bon usage des médicaments psychotropes. Paris: Assemblée nationale; 2006. 500 p. (Rapport). Available from: http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/12/rap-off/i3187.asp Previous drug exposure in patients hospitalised for acute liver injury: a case-population study in the French National Healthcare Data System Patient visits and prescriptions for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder from 2017–2021: impacts of COVID-19 pandemic in primary care Changes in the top 25 reasons for primary care visits during the COVID-19 pandemic in a high-COVID region of Canada Prevalence of mental health problems among children with long COVID: a systematic review and meta-analysis Time trends in mental health indicators in Germany’s adult population before and during the COVID-19 pandemic Estimating the prevalence of depression associated with healthcare use in France using administrative databases Download references We acknowledge the ULR2694 Metrics and the F2RSM Psy teams for their support This research received no specific grant from any funding agency Fédération Régionale de Recherche en Psychiatrie Et Santé Mentale - F2RSM Psy Chloé Saint-Dizier & Maxime Bubrovszky ULR 2694-METRICS: Évaluation des Technologies de santé et des Pratiques médicales Department of Methodology and Biostatistics Mathieu Levaillant & Jean-François Hamel-Broza U1172 - LilNCog - Lille Neuroscience & Cognition Centre National de Ressources Et de Résilience (Cn2r) Lille-Paris All authors read and approved the final manuscript As this research does not involve human participants but administrative database informed consent and ethical committee submission were not applicable to this study All authors consent for the publication of the article Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-024-03496-8 Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article The French Ministry of Defence has launched a formal accident investigation after two Dassault Rafale fighters suffered a mid-air collision while returning from a refuelling mission over Germany The French Investigation Bureau for State Aviation Safety (BEA-E) will undertake the investigation a single-seat Rafale C and a two-seat Rafale B were assigned to Escadron de Transformation Rafale 3/4 Aquitaine (the Rafale Transition Squadron 3/4 Aquitaine) a conversion training unit based at BA 113 Saint-Dizier Robinson Air Base ETR 3/4 is responsible for training new pilots on the Rafale and for transitioning pilots from other aircraft types The squadron prepares pilots for the ‘Omni-Role’ Rafale The two aircraft were returning from a refuelling training mission over Germany when they collided (“during a combat manoeuvre”) at about 12:30 pm local time on August 14 The incident occurred about 50 nm from St Dizier which lies on the border between the Vosges and Meurthe-et-Moselle regions of eastern France The pilot of the single-seat Rafale ejected safely The Meurthe-et-Moselle prefecture promptly activated its departmental operational centre and initiated the SATER (air-land rescue) plan to support military forces in response to the incident mounting a search for the aircraft and crews his Emergency Locator Transponder (ELT) having activated automatically on ejection It took several hours of searching by law enforcement agencies to recover the bodies of the other two pilots in the heavily wooded region French President Emmanuel Macron quickly issued a statement saying: “We learned with sadness of the deaths of Captain Sébastien Mabire and Lieutenant Matthis Laurens during an air accident during a Rafale training mission The Nation shares the grief of their families and brothers in arms at Air Base 113 in Saint-Dizier.” reportedly had 2,000 flying hours and 47 combat missions in his logbook It is believed that the Armée de l’Air had previously suffered only two Rafale losses Air Transport Aviation Services Business and General Aviation Defence Event Wraps In the Spotlight Innovation and Technology Leadership Manufacturing Regulation Space Sustainability Rotorcraft Unmanned Urban and Regional Air Mobility Events Opinion Videos About Advertise Contact Extraordinary footage has shown the moment that two Patrouille de France Alpha Jets collided while training near Air Base 113 in Saint Dizier The two pilots and a passenger in the rear seat ejected from their aircraft The accident happened outside Paris.  posted on X: "Thanks to the emergency services mobilised thoughts for our pilots of the Patrouille de France." In videos circulating on social media showing the incident six jets appear to have flown in formation The five jets flew in an arrow pattern with a jet in the centre just behind the tip The aircraft then curved downwards while spraying the French tricolour two jets separated from the group and crashed into each other leading one of the jets to spiral downwards to the ground and explode while the other jet continued to fly in front of shocked spectators An investigation is underway to find out more about the cause of the accident Les deux pilotes, ainsi qu’un troisième qui était passager à bord d’un des avions, ont pu s’éjecter et sont sains et saufs.Légèrement blessés, ils ont été pris en charge.Remerciements aux secours mobilisés, pensées pour nos pilotes de la Patrouille de France. https://t.co/lfvjPNnI3t is the French version of the Royal Air Force's Red Arrows The French aerobatic team fly in jets that are painted in blue The pilots use the Dassault or Dornier Alpha Jet which is a training and tactical-support twin-jet tandem two-seater aircraft It can fly at speeds of up to 575mph and is able to climb 12,500ft per minute The Patrouille de France previously flew the Fouga Magister before it was replaced with the Alpha Jet in 1981 The team was broken up in 1964 due to a lack of money to fund it but France's defence minister later decided to reinstate the display team a year later because he liked it The French air display team performed during the Paris Olympics last year and often execute a flypast during the military parade for Bastille Day Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe to: wo French pilots died on Wednesday after their Rafale jets collided in mid-air in eastern France in a rare accident involving the cutting-edge military aircraft One pilot ejected following the crash over northeastern France but authorities had launched a desperate search for a missing instructor and a student pilot on the second jet "We learn with sadness the death of Captain Sebastien Mabire and Lieutenant Matthis Laurens in an air accident in a Rafale training mission," Macron posted on X "The nation shares the grief of their families and brothers in arms at Air Base 113 in Saint-Dizier" in eastern France "One of the pilots was found safe and sound," Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said earlier on X.  It was not immediately clear what caused the collision that authorities said occurred over Colombey-les-Belles "The military authorities will report on the causes of the accident," said the local prefecture The supersonic Rafale "multi-role" fighter -- used to hunt enemy planes carry out reconnaissance and even carry France's nuclear warheads -- has become a bestseller for the French arms industry around 12:30pm (1030 GMT)," Patrice Bonneaux It was not the usual sonic boom of a fighter jet breaking the sound barrier "I assumed that two planes had collided but we didn't believe it," he said adding that a road bordering a nearby forest had been cordoned off a Rafale jet crashed near Neuvic in southwestern France Investigators concluded that the pilot had become disorientated That was believed to be the first crash of a Rafale two Rafale aircraft went down as they flew back to the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle off the coast of Perpignan after completing a test flight Lecornu said in January that France had ordered 42 new Rafale fighter jets The French military has now ordered more than 230 Rafales since the jet went into service Macron has urged defence manufacturers to boost production and innovation as Europe seeks to increase arms supplies to buttress Ukraine which has been struggling to fight off Russia's invasion Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small or large—find what’s most comfortable for you Nick Abbot is Leading Britain's Conversation Two French Air Force jets crashed into each other in mid-air while rehearsing a stunt routine but the three people on board were luckily ‘found conscious’ A terrifying video showed the jets colliding in the air after which someone can be seen opening a parachute going up in fireballs when they fell to the ground It happened near the air base of Saint-Dizier The jets were performing a set of training exercises with six Alpha jets from the Patrouille de France participating The Patrouille de France is the French Air Force’s main aerobatics display team similar to the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows The pilots of both planes and a passenger they had on board managed to eject Read more: 'He's a good man': Trump defends Mike Waltz saying he 'made a mistake' following groupchat fiasco Read more: Russia and Ukraine agree to Black Sea ceasefire deal as White House confirms halt to strikes on energy infrastructure Two of the survivors were in a state of ‘relative emergency’ They were taken to a local hospital for treatment The other was described as a 'multi-trauma sufferer' France's Minister of the Armed Forces confirmed that emergency workers were dealing with the incident in a statement on X 'Emergency services are being mobilised and coordination is being ensured by the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of the Armed Forces,' Lecornu said One of the planes landed into a silo at a nearby concrete factory owned by Calin L’avion de la patrouille de France qui s’écrase sur les silo de la société Câlin à saint dizier. pic.twitter.com/cnnkwrPcm1 A spokesperson for the company told the newspaper that firefighters were helping to extinguish the fire The other plane reportedly landed in a local canal One witness who saw the crash said they were watching the aerial performance for about 15 minutes before they heard a ‘loud bang’ and felt the ‘compound vibrate’ “We looked up and debris was falling from the sky," the witness told Puissance Télévision “The pilot landed 50 meters from the compound and was immediately taken away on a stretcher by the firefighters.” See more Latest World News See more Latest News See more World News See more More Topics Defara Dhanya TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Two French Air Force fighter jets crashed into each other during an acrobatic training session on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. As reported by France 24 the incident occurred near Saint-Dizier Air Base in eastern France local time during a training involving six Alpha Jets from the Patrouille de France acrobatics team According to the French Air and Space Force both pilots and one passenger successfully ejected is currently being treated by military medical personnel A report from Daily Mail UK stated that one of the jets crashed into a concrete company's silo the other aircraft is suspected to have crashed into a canal This incident recalls the collision of two Rafale fighter jets in the skies of eastern France in August 2024 The pilots of those jets died in the rare accident involving the advanced fighter planes This time is different as there were no casualties among the pilots or civilians near the accident site and coordination is being ensured by the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of the Armed Forces," French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu stated in a post on X A recording shows the group of jets maneuvering and emitting smoke before two aircraft collided A witness working at a car dealership near the incident site claimed to have seen debris falling from the sky "The pilot landed 50 meters from the site and was immediately carried on a stretcher by firefighters," said the witness to Puissance Tlvision The Air Force authorities are still searching for aircraft debris using air Helicopters are combing the area of the incident Saint-Dizier Mayor Quentin Brire, who visited the site, urged residents not to panic. He praised the professionalism of the pilots who managed to guide the aircraft to fall without endangering civilian inhabitants Editor's Choice: Indonesia, South Korea Agree to Resume Cooperation on KF-21 Fighter Jets Development Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News Iran Detains Two Following Deadly Port Explosion Today's Top 3 News: 7 Most Beautiful Banknotes in the World, Penetration of Visa, Mastercard vs QRIS in Indonesia Nearly Half of Germans Support Banning Far-Right AfD, Poll Shows Yemeni Houthis Announce Airspace Blockade Against Israel Inside Sistine Chapel: 5 Key Facts About the Conclave's Iconic Venue Iran Pledges Retaliation for Any US or Israeli Military Action Israel Vows Retaliation Following Houthi Strike on Main Airport Sistine Chapel Prepares for the Election of New Pope Pope Francis' Popemobile Transformed into Mobile Clinic for Gaza Children Anthony Albanese Makes Indonesia His First Visit After Winning Australian Election French Prosecutor Says Mosque Attacker's Motive Not Linked to Terrorism French Police Hunt for Killer of a Muslim Man in Mosque Indonesia to Develop Kertajati Airport into Aircraft Maintenance Hub EasyJet Makes Emergency Landing After Passenger Hallucinates Snakes in Cabin China's J-36 Fighter Jet: Online Leak Hints at Sixth-Generation Power Indonesia Set to Acquire F-15EX Fighter Jets: Here's What You Need to Know Exploring the Largest Air Force Bases Across Asia French HDF Energy and Indonesia Partner on Green Hydrogen in Maritime Sector Garuda Indonesia Prepares 14 Aircraft for 2025 Hajj Operation Explosion Erupt on United Airlines Aircraft After Rabbit is Sucked into Engine The Pope's Role in Major Events of the Modern Era Prabowo to Host Cambodian Senate President This Afternoon JYP Entertainment Apologizes for DAY6 Concert Chaos in Jakarta BGN Chief Aims for Zero Accidents in Free Nutritious Meal Program AJI, UNESCO Declare Commitment to Support Digital Security of Student Press Prabowo Praises Jokowi's Inflation Control in Cabinet Session, Denies Link to Gibran's Presence Exposing Trump's Move on Mike Waltz Dismissal Prabowo Rejects 'Puppet President' Label, Denies Jokowi's Control Manpower Minister Unveils Reasons Behind Over 24,000 Layoffs by April 2025 Prabowo Claims 99.99% Success Rate for Free Nutritious Meal Program What Are the Cheapest Businesses to Start from Home? Here Are the Top 10 Jobs That AI Will Replace: Is Your Current Job at Risk? Hollywood Shaken as Trump Orders 100% Tariff on All Foreign-Made Films Indonesia and Japan Deepen Strategic Alliance in Clean Energy and Infrastructure Where to Go in May? Here Are the Top 12 Destinations Top 10 Highest-Paying Majors Worth Pursuing in 2025 Six Dead, Dozens Injured in India's Goa Religious Festival Stampede The constructive grids affirm the volume and shape the site’s architectural design The 3 arches form to respect the geometry of a “chain” and so it conserves a family of proportion The 4 narrow arches cross 2 meters; the 10 medium arches cross 7 meters; and the 2 large arches cross 23 meters These constructive choices bolster the value of crafts The lack of workforce nowadays is the consequence of the decline in constructive quality It is urgent to give back a central position to craftsmen and builders You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email October 20th, 2022 Europe, International, News, Previews & Recaps While the 2022 FINA World Cup Series kicks off this weekend in Berlin several high-profile athletes will be racing in France at the 30th International Meeting of Saint-Dizier The 3-day meet will be contested in short course meters with French talent taking on visiting swimmers from the likes of Italy Among the Italian contingent is the trio of Linda Camponi, Elena Di Liddo and Filippo Megli Camponi is set to swim the women’s 50m fly Di Liddo is entered in the 50m fly/100m fly She is the reigning national record holder in SCM owning the Italian standard of 56.06 she set at the 2018 World Championships the 4-time 2022 Mediterranean Games gold medalist is expected to take on the 50m/100m/200m/400m free races The host nation will see Lara Grangeon and Mewen Tomac among the athletes with the former taking on a hefty schedule including the 400m 800m and 1500m freestyles along with the 200m back Tomac is keeping to a pithy lineup of the men’s 50m and 200m backstroke races I may be mistaken but I believe that team put 5 swimmers on the German team in Tokyo The chemistry is still palpable between Saint Dizier and the warm, personal residence he has inhabited for 22 years, a place he likens to "a clearing in the woods you'd stumble upon." The designer's formidable homing instincts kicked in early: As a 10-year-old boy from Louisiana Cajun country, he made his first trip to New York to attend the 1964 World's Fair in Flushing Meadows and was certain as soon as he stepped out of the taxi that one day he would live in New York. "I remember thinking, Give me a life with trees, a dog and a garden, and I'll be fine," Saint Dizier says about closing up shop in the wake of Donghia's death. "That my career has followed me here, on my terms, has been the blessing of my life." Though his firm occupies a first-rate corner of Healdsburg and he commutes to Kona, Hawaii, and other A-list locales, outfitting second and third resort homes along with private jets and yachts, in his personal life Saint Dizier gravitates to the outdoors, despite being, as he says, "an interiors person." Light infuses his residence through a large bank of windows facing the porch, enhanced by a screened door that is perpetually swung open. Though linoleum concealed much of the honey-colored Douglas fir floors, the period character of the farmhouse remained intact, down to the requisite stone fireplace with banquettes, redwood wainscoting and leaded-and-stained-glass built-in sideboard and bookcases. Hardly a by-the-book designer, Saint Dizier quickly jettisoned the overly earnest ghost of Gustav Stickley. "It's not as livable as I'd like," he says of the period. "I like to sink into furniture." Indeed, the sofa he designed for the living room, with antique-velvet-back pillows and leather seat cushions, is so tactile and curl-up-able that Saint Dizier likens it to a very large pet (his real one is a feisty Welsh terrier named Huey Long). In designing for himself, versus for his clients, Saint Dizier is aware of a contrasting sensibility. "In my work, I use a restrained hand," he notes. "Everything is very high end, very structured, very well thought out. At home I don't want to tailor or structure things. I'm not running around thinking, Oh, this isn't right. It's all okay. I also learned early in my career that people can't relax in perfection." That notion extends to the artwork throughout the house—some of it by talented friends—as well as the collectibles, including his whimsical die-cast toy trucks, which hold a dog leash and toys by the kitchen door and suntan lotion by the pool. Coming home after his rough commute—11 miles through stunning vineyards—Saint Dizier will often light a fire, even in the summertime, open the door and watch the sun set with a glass of wine from the banana-yellow porch swing (another gift). One of his favorite reds is a zinfandel from a vineyard just up the road, produced by a family he knows quite well. "You can taste their personality," he says of the wine. The same might also be said of Saint Dizier's residence. In the end, of course, a sense of intimacy and comfort with oneself may be the most profound design of all. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Defence company director panicked and grabbed ejection handle seconds after take-off I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A passenger accidentally ejected himself from a fighter jet during a surprise flight given to him as a gift by colleagues startled as the force of acceleration caused him to lift out of his seat panicked and grabbed hold of the ejection handle just seconds after take-off according to an investigation into the incident An inquiry by the Accident Investigation Bureau for State Aviation Safety found there was a catalogue of errors leading up to the March 2019 incident near Saint-Dizier air base in northeastern France Investigators said the man passed a medical assessment just four hours before boarding the Dassault Rafale B jet which stated he should only fly with a load factor up to 3g However the restriction was never communicated to the pilot and experts believe the passenger may have felt insecure as the plane climbed from 3.5g to 4g because his straps were not tight enough and his anti-gravity trousers were badly fitted The chin strap on the man’s helmet was also not fastened causing it to fly off as he was propelled out of the cockpit and the boat on the aircraft did not inflate Experts said the man’s watch showed his heart rate raced from 120 to 145 beats per minute from the moment he arrived at the air base until the point at which he was ejected from the plane had no experience of flying in a military plane and had allegedly never expressed any interest in doing so but felt he could not refuse in front of his colleagues his parachute deployed and he landed in a field before being taken to hospital with minor injuries The 35-year-old pilot managed to safely land the plane back on the runway despite the loss of his cockpit canopy and passenger the pilot's seat should also have ejected — but failed to do so because of a malfunction “The pilot and passenger were slightly injured. The pilot suffered from slight contusions on the face. “The ejected passenger was evacuated to Saint-Dizier hospital. His face shows traces left by pyrotechnic powder residue from the glass cutting cord.” Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Constructing a residence from scratch that feels as if it has always been there is an exacting art. Its success depends on a seemingly endless array of details—the use of fieldstone that might have been dug from local earth, for instance, or the anchoring presence of gnarled trees with languorous branches that look as though they have survived a hundred summers. Presented with a rare tabula rasa in coveted St. Helena in California's Napa Valley—the surrounding vineyards destined to become Duckhorn merlot—designers Jacques Saint Dizier and Richard Westbrook, of Saint Dizier Design, and architects Hugh Huddleson and Karen Jensen Roberts set about creating what Saint Dizier calls an "anti-villa," a farmhouse-inspired hamlet at the end of a quiet road for a peripatetic couple and their visiting family. "We thought of the residence as if it had an agricultural purpose," says Saint Dizier, who is based on the other side of the mountains, in Healdsburg in Sonoma County. "We wanted to bring in the vines, make the house a believable part of the vineyards." Both Huddleson and Saint Dizier have a long history with the couple, whose primary residences are in Arizona and Hawaii see. The husband had discovered the land "by providence" four years ago; he says it was "the last piece of land contiguous to the city" and enveloped by 200 acres of grapes, with views to Spring Mountain, a fabled cabernet terroir. The setting yearned for elegant rusticity, "a balance between dress-up and relaxed, a hodgepodge very carefully orchestrated," the designer says. In conceptualizing the compound—a main residence, guest and caretaker's cottages, a pool, a bocce court and an outdoor dining pergola—Huddleson sought "a sincere architecture." He looked to both the local vernacular—stone buildings like the Victorian Beringer residence—and the stone-walled wineries of Europe. To capture vineyard panoramas, he raised the residence three feet to allow for stone terracing. "I've always felt that terracing merges architecture with the landscape," he remarks, "so that you're not sure where the stone walls become house." Saint Dizier's approach to the interiors was based on the idea of "a collection over the years"—objects, many of them whimsical, that a fortunate treasure hunter might have found on the property. In the living room, an overscale chandelier in rusted metal with burnished gold leaf is suspended from a vaulted beam ceiling that itself could have been lifted from an old winery. The kitchen is open to the living room, a request from the clients, who are keen to whip up food for 50 guests. "It's a farm kitchen gone St. Helena," Saint Dizier says. "We enjoyed making this house feel very much at home in the wine country," adds Huddleson. In a powder room, mosaic leaves are scattered on the floor. It is an enchanted space, designed to elicit "a feeling of getting lost in the forest." At the front drive, a pair of 80-year-old olive trees provide an instant sense of history. The surrounding landscape is meant to appear "intentionally wild, as if someone scattered seeds," explains the architect. "As in Italy, it's overgrown with mystery and romance and life as it happens." Saint Dizier's favorite ritual upon completion of a project is greeting clients—who, in this case, would have ambled through vineyards and fragrant cascades of ornamental thyme, rosemary and lavender—at sunset, with music playing and a bottle of champagne in hand. "It's the interaction of all the pieces that's surprising to people, and sometimes to us," he notes. And so it was in St. Helena. "No matter how much we believed we had a vision of what it was going to look like," says the husband, "it turned out to be better and more exciting than we had dreamed." One of China’s longest established tractor manufacturers has announced that it will discontinue production of tractor transmissions from March 2019 onwards in its factory based at Saint-Dizier in the north of France YTO acquired the former International Harvester plant from Italian Argo which makes Landini and McCormick tractors The St Dizier factory was originally opened by International Harvester in 1924 Italian Argo acquired the transmission plant and sold it to YTO in 2011 YTO has been manufacturing tractors in China since 1955 It has had joint ventures with Fiatagri and Goldini tractors in the 1980s and 1990s and attempted a joint venture with AGCO in 2005 The current range extends to an 180hp tractor The production of transmissions will be moved to China Contact us Advertise with us Company information Career opportunities Privacy statement Terms of service Commenting policy Change cookies settings Change cookies settings Apr 28, 2022 | , 2022 marks the welcome return of the Dassault Mirage 2000D Tactical Demo The demo is drawn from the squadrons of the 3rd Wing – EC 1/3 Navarre EC 2/3 Champagne and EC 3/3 Ardennes based at Nancy Vautour Bravo are from  EC2/30 ‘Normandie Niemen‘ and EC3/30 ‘Lorraine’ based at Mont-de-Marsan and fly a pair of Dassault Rafale C and B omni-role combat aircraft EC1/4 “Gascogne” and EC2/4 “La Fayette” also fly a tactical demonstration on the Dassault Rafale B omni-role strike fighters One of newest tactical demonstrations on the display circuit are the pair of Pilatus PC-21s from BA709 Cognac/Châteaubernard One of most eye-catching tactical demonstrations comes from the French Air Force’s Airbus DS A400M Captaine Bertrand ‘Bubu’ Butin takes over as the French Air Force’s Dassault Rafale C Solo display pilot The team is drawn from ETR 03.004 ‘Aquataine’ based at B113 Today, Honolulu's Diamond Head is the most recognizable natural wonder on a chain of islands that boasts far too many to mention. And nestled near the base of Diamond Head is a house that seems to know precisely how fortunate it is to be sited on one of the most magnificent swaths of coastline in the world, taking full advantage of the unsurpassed views and gentle breezes that have drawn people to Hawaii for centuries. The house takes full advantage of the unsurpassed views and gentle breezes that have drawn people to Hawaii for centuries. The views are of the sort that dreams and travel brochures are made. It wasn't enough to have rooms simply face the ocean: With views this spectacular, they had to do so spectacularly. Via a painstakingly designed and installed system, the living room's glass-paneled walls—all 32 feet of them—slide and disappear into unobtrusive pockets. When they do, the adjacent lanai becomes part of the living room, its boundary indistinguishable. Diamond Head, alas, has no real diamonds. But it's hard to believe those hopeful British sailors stayed disappointed for long. Not far from where they saw what natives and visitors alike have always thought of as the closest thing to paradise on earth, a house allows its inhabitants—and their lucky guests—to experience that paradise fully, freely and forever. The house is sheltered and private and yet also occupies a magnificent vantage point. One of its striking aspects is the way in which it seems part of the pools that surround it. As architect Hugh Huddleson puts it, the house was intended as "a soulful extension of its environment." "I used the longest diagonal possible to pull your eye across the pool and over the lengths of water to the sea." "One great way of creating the notion of space is to use water," says the East Hampton, New York-based Huddleson, who collaborated on the design with Warren Sunnland, of the Hawaiian firm Riecke Sunnland Kono Architects. "In Venice," Huddleson says, "you can be 12 feet away from another house and yet feel apart, because of the water in between." And so, on this relatively small site in Hawaii, water creates space, stifles noise and is itself a calming element. The use of wood and the volcanic stone in the rock wall at the Asian-style gateway, and the glimpse of the mahogany footbridge across the water beyond, promises an experience of entry that offers more inside. It is impossible to build a house next to the ocean and assume that the hard, unforgiving sunlight and the salt air will not seriously affect it. These challenges dictated the materials for the house, which the architect designed to last. To make the interior of the house unfussy, even playful and durable, and yet with a certain formality, Saint Dizier chose textured reeds for some of the walls, textural fabrics, even copper leaf. Small bronze tiles are set in the floor of an elegant bath. These are stylized petroglyphs depicting each member of the family's favorite outdoor pursuits—surfing, swimming, tennis and sailing. The volumes of the high-ceilinged rooms are generous and restful. And the art walls are deliberate. The owner possesses a collection of early paintings of Hawaiian landscapes and seascapes, along with contemporary work, such as the koa-framed panels of tapa (kapa in Hawaiian) by Puanani Van Dorpe that hang in the living room. The paintings and artifacts, says the designer, "make you feel very grounded and Polynesian." "Hugh came up with the idea of cantilevering the house," Saint Dizier says. "It seems to float." We use some essential cookies to make this website work We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK remember your settings and improve government services We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports While Rafale ace Captain Marc-Antoine Gerard has become the first French Air Force officer to fly the Eurofighter Typhoon at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire The achievement marks the ever-closer relationship between the militaries of both countries and builds on an alliance that is currently operating in Mali and which saw both nation’s air forces fight side-by-side over Libya Flight Lieutenant Johnstone was posted to St Dizier last September to start conversion training on the Rafale after a tour on XI Squadron at RAF Coningsby As the first foreign exchange pilot on Rafale it is a great privilege as well as a great challenge I have been made to feel very welcome by the French Air Force and I look forward to the challenges that the next few years hold whilst hopefully playing an important role in Franco-British relations I was lucky enough to fly my first solo flight on Rafale on my birthday which was very special and I can’t wait to do it again RAF Typhoon pilot Flight Lieutenant Matt 'Johno' Johnstone after his solo flight in a French Air Force Rafale aircraft [Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2013] Flight Lieutenant Johnstone graduated in French and German from Durham University before joining the RAF He has served as a Typhoon pilot with XI Squadron at RAF Coningsby since 2010 including a tour as part of the operational deployment in support of UN Security Council Resolution 1973 He currently has 350 hours on Typhoon and 1,600 hours total flying Following the signature of the Lancaster House treaty in November 2010 the French Air Force and the RAF intensified their bilateral co-operation both countries’ ministers of defence announced an exchange of Rafale and Typhoon pilots The pilot ‘swap’ is designed to facilitate and speed up the collaboration of both air forces Flight Lieutenant Johnstone began his exchange in September with an integration week before joining 2/2 Cote d’Or Squadron in Dijon to carry out familiarisation flights on the back seat of an Alpha jet he moved to the French Air Force base at Mont-de-Marsan to start ground school which finished in November He then joined an Operational Conversion Unit at Saint Dizier before returning to Mont-de-Marsan to fly the Rafale with 2/30 Normandie-Niemen Squadron French Air Force Rafale pilot Captain Marc-Antoine Gerard after his solo flight in an RAF Eurofighter Typhoon [Picture: Senior Aircraftman Daniel Herri the French Air Force’s Captain Gerard has flown solo in a Eurofighter Typhoon I have received a very warm welcome in the Royal Air Force and I am proud and glad to have the opportunity to serve in this prestigious air force for the next 3 years Going solo in the Typhoon was a great moment for me and I look forward to further playing my part in improving the interoperability between the French and the Royal Air Force MOD International Policy (France) desk officer Wing Commander Andre Adamson said that while both countries had exchanged aircrew before for each to allow the other nation’s pilots to fly their latest state-of-the-art fighter bombers showed a remarkable degree of trust There have previously been exchanges when our pilots have flown other nation’s aircraft but this is the first time that British and French pilots have been allowed to fly their allies’ current generation aircraft highly symbolic events and a significant display of the goodwill and trust that exists between our two air forces and the countries they defend Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.