ESIG’AERO is a brand new association founded in January 2013 by Eddy Ballay and Romain Boyer, currently in their 2nd year on the Engineering course.

Following an administrative period and contacting various partners e.g. the region’s aerodromes, the association took off at the start of term with premises, twenty new members and lots of ideas!

ESIG’AERO hosted its first major event on November 17th: the “Grand Saut”, a tandem skydive at the Dieppe Saint Aubin aerodrome.

A dozen brave souls were trained in equipment, safety and positions to adopt in the jump.

“The hardest part is definitely when you’re hanging in the void attached to your monitor and seeing all your friends who’ve jumped before you plummeting down at incredible speed!” says Eddy. “As soon as you jump out of the plane you freefall for about 50 seconds to speeds of approximately 200 km/hr all in deafening sound. When the parachute opens, you can enjoy the scenery and even take control of the parachute by carefully following instructions from the monitor with whom you experience the tandem jump.”

Next season’s agenda includes a flight lesson at the end of February and another skydive in March.
But ESIG’AERO’s most ambitious goal is to have its own aircraft bearing the school and its future partners’ logos. Having taken part in 2 microlight Tour de France events, Eddy Ballay hopes to provide members with a discounted training course and participation in international competitions.

Let’s hope ESIG’AERO gets lots of new sponsors to become one of ESIGELEC’s busiest associations!

Eddy Ballay, ESIG’AERO President: eddyballay@aol.fr

Excerpts from student paper La Tortue Déchaînée