The Friday of the opening is always a tricky time. Nothing is well-established, the improvement points are numerous. There are howls, screams, moments of euphoria. The previous night was too short. Everything had to be finished on time. Then the public arrived from 3pm. A beautiful crowd with kids, parents, young and less young. Everyone was thrilled to find themselves as if freed from a weight they had been carrying for 15 months. A wind of freedom, a moment of fraternity. So are they gonna fly tonight? Overall the public understood the sanitary measures. It all happened calmly. There was the inauguration led by Jean Rottner, which the presidents of the departments of Moselle, Meurthe-et-Moselle and Meuse attended. Numerous elected representatives, friends in a relaxed atmosphere. A pleasant ambiance that strengthens our willingness to get back to human interactions. The sky also played its part, allowing more than 200 balloons to ascend. It was beautiful, reassuring and very hopeful. It was everything we needed.
Editorial – Philippe Buron Pilâtre :
What a joy to see you all at the rendezvous. The crowd of the big days on the boulevard Antoine de Saint Exupéry. The media, the partners, their guests, the organization (old and new). And obviously the pilots and crews who came from all over the world. Of course, many of them are missing, but they are in our hearts and we will meet them again in two years.
I would also like to talk to you about this flight, Friday evening. I would like to tell you about the twinge we all had. Yes, we were right to believe in it and to fight fiercely for its success. I would like to thank the prefectural administration of Meurthe-et-Moselle who made life easier for us. We knew it was impossible, so we did it.
