planning

2024.09.26

Time for preflight…

The 2025 season is likely to be memorable with the 80th anniversary of the end of WW2 (this year was marked by the 80th anniversary of D-Day but unfortunately I couldn’t make it to any of them), which will probably be a focus of Le Temps des Hélices at Ferté-Alais and Air Legends in Melun, and the return of the Biscarrosse Rassemblement International d’Hydravions airshow after being cancelled this year because of the Olympics… (At least they said it was moved and not cancelled… Not sure yet if that’s confirmed, and also not sure if this means we’ll get two RIHB in a row, or if the two year schedule is now odd-numbered years…)

I’m very excited by RIHB in particular and really, really, really hope it happens because I haven’t been at the Bisca airshow since 2012! I was all set to go this year until they dropped the news it was cancelled and it was a real bummer.

Going to either Ferté or Melun, I’m pretty set on taking this opportunity to book a flight on a T-6 with Aero Vintage Academy, with whom I flew on a Stearman some years ago… although that could change to a Travelair 400 flight under certain circumstances. To be confirmed.

Here’s to an exciting season of plane spotting, flying and photography!

Back in the Dragon

2018.05.19

Today was an excellent day full of roaring flying machines in a great, gorgeous sunny field.

The highlight was getting back into a 1942 DH.89 Dragon Rapide, that is looking for kind-hearted backers for a return-to-flight restoration. I was kindly allowed to climb all the way up to the cockpit, and take in the view from up there.

A happy Raph in an old Dragon

What a treat!

This was the first day of the 2018 edition of “Le Temps des Hélices”, the yearly airshow presented at La Ferté-Alais by Amicale Jean-Baptiste Salis.

Outstanding.

Refresh, Q1 2017 edition

2017.02.07

Following the closure of freylia studios as a commercial entity, freylia.net is now back online after a slight cleanup.
The homepage remains fairly empty at the moment as I’m not quite decided on what to put on it yet (or even how to call it), but the legacy photo galleries and portfolio have been restored.

Barcelona streets

2016.02.07

Went out and did some street photography with my good friends of Barcelona Photo Project.

The objective today was to try and do some impro shots and “shoot from the hip”, as it were, and snap candid street life protraits.

My results can be seen in this album and they will be incoprorated into my own galleries during the next round of updates. Enjoy and feel free to leave a comment below!

Flying Legends 2015

2015.07.17

I have just returned from Duxford’s Flying Legends airshow and it was such a splendid experience that I find it difficult to put to words. For a week-end, I spent time in the 1940s, listening to Glen Miller tunes sung by the delightful Manhattan Dolls, photographing Spitfires, Warhawks and Mustangs, visiting Sally B., the last flying B17 in Europe and then hear her roar above my head, and even taking a ride in a 1943 DH.89 Dragon Rapide.

To make it short, I had a flipping grand old time.

Here’s a small sample of pictures taken at the airshow. More to come as they are ready, enjoy!

chute & cap
Flying Legends 2015

Cheerioh!

La Legendaria Familia Stinson

2013.07.30

La Legendaria Familia Stinson - City Hall Barcelona, 09.06.2013
La Legendaria Familia Stinson – City Hall Barcelona, 09.06.2013

That’s the FB gallery while I’m cooking the actual freylia.net section update. Stay tuned!

Utility vs. Style: a closer look at PBY bow designs

2013.06.06

I just published my latest article: “Utility vs. Style” is a compilation album focusing on the different PBY Catalina bow designs from the type’s inception in the 1930’s to the present day. The file is a PDF and you will need Acrobat Reader to open it. Read more…

Many thanks to all those who helped me get it online. 🙂