Français
In a few days, the Patrouille de France will take part in the “Liberté 250” mission in the United States. From June 3 to July 9, in its capacity as an ambassador for the Air and Space Force, the aerobatic team will be part of a large-scale air show organized as part of the commemorations marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. The PAF pilots will perform several demonstrations at the controls of their fighter jets, including flyovers of historic sites such as the Statue of Liberty in New York and Independence Hall in Philadelphia. This comes after they fine-tuned their program with specialized technicians from the French military. Among them is a young woman from Saint Barthélemy: Master Corporal Manon Lopez.
“Very proud”
Manon, 28, joined the military in 2019. Having become a specialist in planning and conducting air operations, she joined the ranks of the Patrouille de France ten months ago. This assignment is somewhat removed from her initial aspirations, as Manon makes no secret of her fondness for “operational work.” Action, in short, which she had hoped to find with the Rafales of the 5th Fighter Wing at Orange Air Base 115. “But today, I’m very proud,” the Saint-Barth native confides to the JSB.
When she answers the phone, her voice is direct and cheerful. “I just came out of a long meeting,” she says. One of those that helped carefully prepare for the “Liberté 250” mission. The conversation is brief because her boss arrives to “debrief.” A few hours later, the phone rings again.
The Flight to France
“I spent my entire childhood in Saint Barthélemy, up until my sophomore year of high school,” Manon explains. “Then I decided to go to high school in Saint Martin.” With her high school diploma in hand, she flew to France. She had one goal in mind: to become a flight attendant… in the military. “But it didn’t work out because I realized I didn’t want to do that anymore,” she says. She then decided to earn her CCA (Cabin Crew Attestation) at ESMA, the aviation academy based at Montpellier Airport. An institution that recently went bankrupt. Long before that, Manon Lopez had obtained the diploma issued by the French Civil Aviation Authority. A piece of paper that would be of little use to her because, shortly thereafter, she took the plunge and enlisted in the Air Force. The year was 2019.
“Hardcore” military training
“I took the recruitment tests in Bordeaux,” she says. “Afterward, I was summoned to Salon-de-Provence (where the 701st ‘General Pineau’ Air Base is located, ed.) for basic training. It lasted two and a half months. ” A “tough as nails” military training, Manon recalls. Physical training, weapons handling, and so on. When she finished, she flew to Mont-de-Marsan and the 118th “Colonel Rozanoff” base.
For a month, she underwent training to specialize as a technician in air operations planning and management. “I learned how to draw up flight plans and everything needed to ensure aircraft safety,” she summarizes. This training continued when she joined her first unit: the Initial Military Aviation Training Center (CFAMI) in Salon-de-Provence.
“That’s where we train fighter pilots and weapons systems officer navigators—the Nosa,” Manon explains. “Have you seen Top Gun? Well, in the plane, there’s the pilot and the other person—that’s the Nosa. He’s the one who controls the onboard computers, the radars, the weapon guidance, and so on.”
On a mission in Niger
For six years, she worked alongside instructors and “veterans” of operational duty. In 2020 and 2021, she embarked on a two-month mission to Niger. “In hostile territory,” she emphasizes. A discovery that captivates the young woman with a strong character. In fact, she states without a hint of hesitation: “After the Patrouille de France, I’d like to return to operational duty.” Far from the peaceful beaches and arid hills of her home island of Saint-Barthélemy, where she visits her family every year.
From sarong to fatigues
“It wasn’t easy when I left for France,” Manon recalls. “I had no ties there; it was hard. Especially going from flip-flops and a sarong to fatigues! I still miss my island. For its way of life, its simplicity. I left my family, my friends, and my comforts behind there. But I’m very happy with the life I have right now!”
Within the Patrouille de France, just as she has since joining the military, Manon Lopez follows tradition. Thus, it was only very recently, after ten months, that she received her blue jumpsuit. “I still have to wait to get my ‘pucelle’ (the name given to the unit insignia),” she says. “It will surely be in October. ” In the meantime, with all the military discipline required of her, Manon will continue to forge her path and that of the Patrouille de France fighter pilots. Always keeping a thought in her heart for her island of Saint Barthélemy.
