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ENGAGE!
MIRAGE 2OOO around the world
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SNECMA MOTEURS
THALES
ENGAGE!
Squadron chat
3-2004
20 years of FAF operations for the MIRAGE 2000
Traditions
On February 2nd, 2004, Dassault Aviation celebrated the 20th anniversary of the introduction to service of the Mirage 2000 in the French Air Force. This event took place at the Dassault Headquarters located on the “Champs Elysees” in Paris, with French Air Force Chief of Staff Gal Wolsztynski, Serge Dassault, Charles Edelstenne (CEO of Dassault Aviation). On this occasion, 70 pilots and WSOs who have logged more than 2,000 hours on the Mirage 2000 were granted the 2000 hour patches, diplomas and trophies. The Mirage 2000 has logged more than 1,000,000 flight hours with more than 600 aircraft built for 8 countries throughout the world.
“Ne recule ni ne dévie”
MIRAGE 2000 user conference
This title which could be basically translated by “Neither retreating nor deviating” is the motto of French Air Force EC 3/3 “Ardennes” at NancyOchey AFB. It is also the title of the book which was issued for the EC 3/3’s 60th anniversary. A superb book with archives and photos coming from this famous unit.
The first Mirage 2000 user conference will be taking place in Paris from 4 to 8 of October 2004. Mirage 2000 operators from 8 countries will meet during this week-long event for technical conferences dedicated to subjects such as airframe fatigue and ageing, maintenance plans optimization, obsolescence and flight safety. This “Premiere” conference will provide Mirage 2000 users with an opportunity to exchange and collect information on maintenance and operation issues and experience feed back.
As there are distinction patches for Mirage 2000 pilots who have logged 1,000 2,000 and 3,000 flight hours, there are now distinction patches for the maintainers who are the real “enablers” for all these flight hours. Dedicated patches for those who have worked 5, 10, 15 or 20 years on the Mirage 2000 will be available soon. contact : D. Coulier (Dassault Aviation / Military Customer Support Division : deborah.coulier@dassaultaviation.fr)
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MIRAGE 2000 solo display
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Flight safety corner
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SEM MB Mk10 ejection seat
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French Air Force MIRAGE 2000 D’s in operation
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Letters
MIRAGE 2000 stick sculpture
A zoom on this typical pewter stick carved by Major Christophe Favre who is keen on sculpture during his free hours. Your Mirage 2000 stick can be made either of pewter or bronze with each piece being numbered. contact : Herve Hamon (Dassault Aviation : engage@dassault-aviation.fr)
Restriction notice :
MIRAGE 2000-9 flies in UAE skies
During 2003, the MIRAGE 2000-9 has been introduced to service into the United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defense.
This publication is intended for information only. Its contents neither replace nor revise any material in official manuals or publications. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise- translating in other languagewithout prior written permission of Dassault Aviation.
Editorial Here is the second issue of “ENGAGE!”. It looks like all readers of the first issue (2-2003) were happy with the concept of this publication. The feedback was excellent, but we would need to get your suggestions and requests by E-mail on engage@dassault-aviation.fr This issue is dedicated to the French Air Force Mirage 2000 solo displays where you can feel the flying proficiency, unrelenting quest for perfection and the team spirit of all these pilots and mechanics working to demonstrate the capabilities of the Mirage 2000 throughout the world. But, the French Air Force is not the only Mirage 2000 user that has created a display team. The Indian Air Force had a special Mirage 2000 aerobatic display team as well, and we hope to be able to dedicate a couple of pages of “ENGAGE!” to this team in the next future. Once you have read the story, you will probably appreciate even more the enclosed DVD. You will find in it some fabulous photos and videos about : MIRAGE 2000 SOLO DISPLAYS Enjoy ! The “ENGAGE !” Team
About our cover:
MIRAGE 2000 during derrry flight
About our poster:
R° : MIRAGE 2000 rolling left V° : Forget last display at Singapour
Photo credits
Photos by French Air Force, SIRPA-Air, A. Paringaux, F. Robineau, N. Renard, Thales, C. Cosmao, Snecma-Moteurs and Dassault Aviation.
MIRAGE 2OOO
THE BEST OF
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Mirage 2000 solo display
Teamwork first
Hall of fame
As of today, the Mirage 2000 solo display team is composed of two demonstration pilots plus one “coach” pilot.
The Mirage 2000 has been introduced to service in 1984 in the French Air Force and it has been in high demand since then from the organizers of air events all over the world. Meeting the expectations of the organizers and of the public at the major air events in France and abroad has been the motto of the French Air Force ALPHA team whose pilots and engineers have been presenting it for twenty years in France and abroad, across the five continents. To date, the Mirage 2000 has been flown in displays by more than 20 French Air Force pilots and it has taken part in all major air shows and meetings all over the world: the Dubai Air Show, Asian Aerospace in Singapore, the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, Farnborough International, the Royal International Air Tattoo....
With 60 flight demonstrations (not counting rehearsals) under his belt during the last two years, François Forget (“Guy”) has now become the team’s coach, having completed his tour as demonstration pilot at Asian Aerospace 2004. As a result, Yann Vallet (“Thor”) has been promoted to first Mirage 2000 demonstration pilot and Fabrice Camliti (“Jane”) has been called on to join the display team. Fabrice is slated to become second demonstration pilot after his training period. About thirty events are on the team’s 2004 agenda, with both pilots on hand for each airshow, flying the display in turns. Accordingly each pilot is to perform thirty or so display sorties during the season, plus the rehearsals. The aircraft ground handling during deployments is performed in turn by ten hand-picked engineers, each of them participating in three to four events. Most deployments are under 72 hours, with only one engineer assigned to support the aircraft. For longer deployments, a three-man team including an armament specialist and an avionics specialist provides the ground assistance.
The outstanding manœuvering capability of the Mirage 2000 as well as the proficiency of French Air Force pilots are best exemplified during the “ALPHA” solo display. Accordingly the “ALPHA” team has been named “the French Air Force’s frontline ambassador across the five continents”, showcasing the Mirage 2000 as the cornerstone of French air power. ENGAGE!
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Mirage 2000 solo display
Flying the alpha display Attending the Mirage 2000 ALPHA display is an unforgettable experience to all air show fans. Aviation enthusiasts of all generations are treated to an uninterrupted eight-minute festival consisting of barrel rolls, dumbles, inverted flight, loops and high energy turns....+9G/-3G is the price to pay for this piece of sharp airborne perfection. Chance or good luck are not part of the picture: nothing else is required for a successful ALPHA display but extreme flying proficiency, rigorous preparation and hours of practice.
The making of a demonstration pilot The ALPHA pilot selection takes place each year in October. It is open to volunteer instructor pilots from EC 2/5 “Ile de France”. After a suitable training period, the selected candidates will fly the Mirage 2000 in displays during a two-year tour. The training syllabus starts at Salon-de-Provence AFB with the Patrouille de France for a specialized session on low altitude aerobatic flying. Then comes another session with the French Air Force EVAA (Equipe de Voltige), with several sorties on the piston-powered CAP10. Back home at Orange AFB, the soon-to-be demonstration pilot undertakes a series of experience-building sorties on the Mirage 2000 aimed at developing the specific acumen required to detect and avoid all conceivable pitfalls during the live demos. Accordingly, he starts in the back seat with the acting Number One demonstration pilot, then undertakes as pilot-in-command a progression towards a “canned” good weather presentation :
MIRAGE 2000 SOLO DISPLAY PILOTS First Pilot Second Pilot 1983-84 : Cpt SAXE Cpt AUBERT 1984-85 : Cpt AUBERT 1985-86 : Cpt AUBERT Cpt SAGET 1986-87 : Cpt SAGET Cpt ROSE 1987-88 : Cpt ROSE Cpt DUCLOS 1988-89 : Cpt DUCLOS Cpt MASSE 1989-90 : Cpt MASSE Cpt FOURNIER 1990-91 : Cpt FOURNIER Cpt BOUVIER 1991-92 : Cpt BOUVIER Cpt LANG 1992-93 : Cpt LANG 1993-94 : Cpt LANG Cpt GUILLEMAUD 1994-95 : Cpt GUILLEMAUD Cpt POUGHEON 1995-96 : Cpt POUGHEON Cpt BIENSEANT 1996-97 : Cpt BIENSEANT Cpt PONSOT 1997-98 : Cpt PONSOT Cpt LANGLAIS 1998-99 : Cpt LANGLAIS Cpt CORDELET 99-2000 : Cpt CORDELET Cpt PERSONNAT 2000-01 : Cpt PERSONNAT Cpt CHAUVIN 2001-02 : Cpt CHAUVIN Cpt BRUN 2002-03 : Cpt BRUN Cpt FORGET 2003-04 : Cpt FORGET Cpt VALLET 2004-05 : Cpt VALLET Cpt CAMLITI
2-3 sorties base 5000 ft 4-5 sorties base 2000 ft 6-10 sorties base 1000 ft
At this point, a proficiency check must be passed to be cleared further down to a 500 ft evolution floor. With the “canned” display mastered at base 500 ft, it is now time to set up a personal display program. Every aspect has to be considered: flight safety, evolution space, timeline and speed as well as aesthetics...Turning this paper project into a reality and performing the fine tuning is the last part of the training syllabus, with 6-10 sorties base 1000 ft 5-6 sorties base 500 ft. The next step is the acceptance flight usually taking place in April before a panel of demonstration experts. They are in charge of reviewing and approving the proposed set of display programs (two of them actually) : the “good weather” demo the fallback demo for adverse weather conditions.
The approved display is formally presented in flight to the French Air Force Chief of Staff the following week and the new demonstration pilot can now be inducted as ALPHA demonstration pilot Number Two. With the season of air shows, airbase open days and other air events fast approaching, there is only enough time left for a series of intensive practice sorties before D-day...The show will be running from early May until late September.
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Mirage 2000 solo display
Flight safety corner
Staying on top When the season is over, proficiency is maintained between October and April with at least one sortie every second week. Should the flying activity be interrupted for more than a month, a “refresher” must be flown at base 1000ft before practicing again at base 500 ft.
Team spirit The recipe for the success of the “ALPHA” team undoubtedly rests with a specific mood of cooperation and trust between the coach and the senior and junior pilots, allowing the accumulated aerial display experience to be enriched and passed on to the younger generations. But what could these three do without the engineers ? Clearly nothing as no display sortie can reasonably happen without an aircraft, a “maintainer” and a pilot : the “maintainers” are obviously an integral part of the “ALPHA” community. Actually making everyone on the team feel at ease on his job and enjoying professional recognition and support is considered essential to the team’s performance. In order to maintain the team’s reputation at its highest level, the “ALPHA” selection committee specifically rates the applicants on the following personality traits : interpersonal skills flying experience flight safety discipline ability to self-assess and challenge their own flying practice willingness to accept flexible schedules. In addition, the “happy few” should be able to carry out their specific “ALPHA” duties - i.e. honing their skills on the flying display - while retaining their assignment as flying instructors and training EC 2/5 junior operational pilots. Says Capt. Yann Vallet : “Being able to put the Mirage 2000 right where you want it in the sky with the right speed and attitude, and feeling the instant response to your control inputs with the exact tempo that was on your mind a couple of seconds earlier - that’s really a defining moment in a pilot’s lifetime....”
trop sombre
Adds Capt. François Forget : “It’s a permanent challenge, the display is never quite as perfect as you would like. The relentless practicing improves your performance beyond what you thought would be possible and suddenly you realize that two years have passed and it’s your time out! “
PILOT C.V. Cpt François FORGET Joined French Air Force Fighter Wings EC 1/4 “Dauphine” Flight instructor on Fouga EC 1/4 “Dauphine” Flight instructor EC 2/5 “Ile de France” Mirage 2000 solo display
: 1989 : 1991 : from 1991 to 1994 : from 1994 to 1996 : from 1996 to 1999 : since 1999 : from 2002 to 2004
The show is on
Total flight hours : 4000+ (1800+ on Mirage 2000) Cpt Yann VALLET Joined French Air Force Fighter Wings Flight instructor on Epsilon EC 2/5 “Ile de France” Flight instructor on Alpha Jet EC 1/5 “Vendee” Flight instructor EC 2/5 “Ile de France” Mirage 2000 solo display
: 1986 : 1988 : from 1988 to 1991 : from 1991 to 1995 : from 1995 to 1998 : from 1998 to 2001 : since 2001 : since 2003
Total flight hours : 3000+ (1600+ on Mirage 2000) Cpt Fabrice CAMLITI Joined French Air Force Fighter Wings EC 2/12 “Picardie” Flight instructor on Tucano EC 2/12 “Picardie” Flight instructor EC 2/5 “Ile de France Mirage 2000 solo display
: 1992 : 1994 : from 1994 to 1997 : from 1997 to 1999 : from 1999 to 2002 : since 2002 : since 2004
Total flight hours : 2500+ (1200+ on Mirage 2000)
Since this issue of “ENGAGE!” is all about air displays, let’s have a look at the flight safety angles of such activity. First of all, we observe that this is may be the only kind of flight performed only by dedicated pilots/ aircrews. That is to say that the aerial work involved is particular enough to dictate so. Why is that ? Mainly because it is a flight close to the limits and with little margin. Let’s consider the limits: the display pilot will fly figures close to the ground/close to the crowd, close to or at max load factor, at minimum airspeed and maximum AoA, from full IDLE to Max AB, and the specific display volume itself can be tricky... Pilot’s limits must be considered too: sustained high G turns, quick G onset (jolts), partial spatial disorientation, fatigue, complacency... Margins around these limits are thin: figures are tailored to look tight and packed and dynamic, and consequent key parameters are “optimized”. Height and airspeed on top or vertical (nose-up/nose-down) already should be considered as “minimum”. Good a/c positioning with regards to the set landmarks are also
paramount to go on to the next figure. All these parameters are “decision marks” but do not leave much room to improvise: either you can go on or you have to stop the figure. Here is another limit, with no margin : the pilot’s ego... It is a lot of pressure to fly before a crowd, representing your Air Force, showing off your a/c... and your own skill. As such, aborting the next figure because you don’t have the correct parameters to keep on could prove to be a difficult decision to take, but must never be overruled. After several flights, the display pilot gets used to his display profile and a kind of routine sets in, the pilot naturally flies the figures, and the key parameters are easily met. The trap is then set for overconfidence, to push the limits a little bit further, to “eat” the margin... And as you all know, an accident occurs when margins and limits are overshot. For all these reasons, yes, flying airshow displays is a very specific job, for specific pilots, carefully selected according to their experience, skill and rigor, a true image of the Air Force they belong to. Happy landings to you all. G. Dailloux (Dassault Aviation Flight Safety V.P.)
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SEM MB HAF MIRAGE 2000-5 BGMMk10 FLIES ! SEM MB (Société d’Exploitation des Matériels Martin-Baker) is the French licensee of Martin-Baker Aircraft and the leading French manufacturer of ejection seats, with over 6,500 produced to date. Ejection seats are an integral part of modern combat aircraft and have saved thousands of lives since being introduced.
The ejection sequence The pilot pulls the ejection handle, which initiates the three cartridges in the gun located at the rear of the seat. The gas pressure generated moves the seat along a guide rail. The rocket motor is activated: the seat passes through the canopy, which, weakened by a pyrotechnic detonation cord, shatters to let the pilot pass. Various mechanisms then stabilize the seat and command the deployment of the main parachute. The pilot simultaneously separates from the seat and descends on parachute.
Protecting pilots through high technology
The specialist in ejection seats The British company Martin-Baker developed the first ejection seats following the second world war. In 1959, Martin-Baker and Snecma created a joint subsidiary, Société d’Exploitation des Matériels MartinBaker. For nearly half a century, SEM MB has produced ejection seats for all French-made combat aircraft, deployed by over 30 Air Forces worldwide - seats that have saved the lives of more than 600 pilots to date!
Mk10 seats The Mirage 2000 and the Mirage F1 are fitted with Mk10 ejection seats. These seats incorporate a solid rocket motor for a so-called “zero-zero” ejection, i.e. at “0” speed and “0” altitude, which is particularly useful for incidents at ground level. It has been qualified for use at speeds up to 625
knots. During the critical takeoff and landing phases, the rocket motor is also used to contain the aircraft’s sink rate. A sequencer integrated between the seats on twin-seat aircraft is used to eject the two pilots in sequence.
Lifesaver
SEM MB have produced some 1,500 Mk10 seats to date, all built with one overriding imperative: reliability! By definition, an ejection seat only operates once in its life. And its role is to save the pilot’s life. This naturally implies that quality must be flawless throughout the production process, and the design must be absolutely secure. A number of circuits are therefore redundant, especially the ignition system between the ejection handle and the pyrotechnic cartridges. Reliability also depends on stringent inspections during production. Next, the seat’s
ejection seat
performance is qualified, in particular by ground tests on a track, using an aircraft fuselage at simulated speeds up to 625 knots. All tests are filmed and analyzed in depth using data from sensors installed on the seat and the dummy. The aircraft manufacturer install the seat in the aircraft, then carry out final checks. Once the seat is installed, it has to remain effective. SEM MB recommend maintenance procedures to keep the seat in the best conditions. For example, some parts have to be changed at scheduled intervals, including the pyrotechnic cartridges, parachute and fabric items, and the mechanisms have to be tested. Armed forces generally carry out the simpler tasks, but seats are sent back to manufacturer for heavier “workshop visits”. Furthermore, Air Forces are increasingly looking at the possibility of “outsourcing” all mainte-
Development
SEM MB also tracks technological developments to keep pace with evolving market requirements. In particular, studies show that pilot’s anthropometric characteristics will change by 2015: they will be taller, which could modify the “ejection envelope” defined during seat design. This trend also comprises the advent of female pilots, with their specific physiological characteristics. So, due to an expanded pilots mass range, SEM MB study Mk10 improvements to eject safely aircrews (male and female).
The Mk10 at a glance Seat fitted with a rocket motor for “zerozero” ejections. Ejection range from 0 to 625 knots Main parachute: GQ1000 Weight of seat with personal survival pack: 90 kg (approx.) Time delay for ejection gun: 0.45 second Time for Barostatic Time Release Unit (BTRU): 1.5 second “G” controller set for 2.5g between 16,400 and 19,400 feet Automatic Deployment Unit of Personal Survival Pack (PSP ADU)
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nance to industry. At this end French Air Force have started an experimentation with SEM MB for the second line level maintenance of the Mk8 seat fitted on Tucano trainers.
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"In February 2002, after a brief stopover, the six French Air Force Mirage 2000D’s reached the international coalition base at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, to take part in operation Enduring Freedom," explained Wing Commander Angel, commanding officer of the 1/3 Navarre Fighter Squadron, during our visit to the Nancy-Ochey air base.
French Air Force Mirage 2000D’s in operation Working in total interoperability with the United States, France retained its sovereignty over the use of its forces. The allied CAOC at Al Kharj in Saudi Arabia, operating under US command, allocated 6 sorties a day to the French planes. The CAOC planned the missions in line with France's rules of engagement, then submitted them for approval to the French commander-inchief, who checked they complied with the French government's directives before the French planes were tasked.
The Mirage 2000Ds first took part in strike missions during operation Anaconda, which was designed to eradicate the Taliban, then later provided air support for ISAF troops and took part in a number of anti-terrorist operations. Afghanistan was a particularly complex theatre of operations, with terrain elevations often higher than 4,000 metres making conventional C-SAR techniques impracticable, and extreme temperatures ranging from -20°C in February to +35° or even 40° in the summer months. In addition, the distance between the base and the targets made fuel management crucial: the Mirages were in the air for at least 51/2 hours and needed to be refuelled four times in flight. And rerouting opportunities in the event of a problem were few and far between. Flight Lieutenant Onselaer, operational utilisation officer on Mirage 2000D, gave us a run-down on the aircraft systems and spoke about the lessons learned from this operation in Afghanistan. The French forces had two types of designation pods available, both from Thales. They mainly used the PDLCT-S, which operates in IR mode and is suitable for both daytime and night-
time missions. But they also had the ATLIS system, which operates in TV mode and delivers images of excellent quality during daylight operations and was ideal for certain types of targets and mission profiles. The pods were of course used on strike missions, which is the main role of France's Mirage 2000Ds, but they also made an appreciable contribution to mission success during the critical refuelling phases. As well as demonstrating the high reliability and excellent performance of the aircraft systems under particularly severe operating conditions, the Afghan air campaign highlighted the progress that has been made in terms of datalink capabilities and the coherence of the image chain. For the optronic reconnaissance tasks that were secondary objectives on certain missions, the imagery sourced by the pod was digitised, interpreted using the MINDS multi-sensor image interpretation and dissemination system, and relayed to central command via the Syracuse satellite system. Chiefs of Staff could "order" images and receive the corresponding photographs just a few hours later.
It became clear from our discussions at Nancy-Ochey just how demanding this kind of strike mission can be for the aircrews taking part, and how vital it is for them to be on top of their assignments. Their role will take on another new dimension when the SCALP cruise missile enters service with the French Air Force later this year. Aircrews from 1/3 Navarre Squadron have already begun conversion training at Mont-de-Marsan. The arrival of this new weapon will revolutionise the concept of deep strike capability.
LCL Angel Squadron Commander EC 1/3 “Navarre”
US support units were already in place (twelve F-18s from the US Marines Corps were to arrive in April), and a detachment of French Air Force engineers were repairing the runway. Up to 1,800 servicemen and women were to be stationed at Manas, 1,000 of them Americans and 400 French.
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The Afghan experience was also a compelling illustration of the concepts of network-centric warfare: our aircraft took off from Manas in Kyrgyzstan and from the carrier in the North Arabian Sea to strike targets thousands of kilometres away designated by forward air controllers who played a vital role in target identification. The operation was controlled in real time by the CAOC in Al Kharj (2,000 km from the action) and commanded by USCENTCOM in Florida.
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ENGAGE! 3- 2004
Letters
This page will be dedicated to your letters and our answers concerning all subjects around “ENGAGE!”. We would like : to have your feed back about this new publication, to collect all the remarks you could point out about the articles, to answer your questions when you need more information. Do not hesitate to send us as much as you can about Mirage 2000 ‘s events around the world. We would be pleased to receive : all the pictures you may have about this fabulous aircraft, any operational user article you would like to see in this publication, such as exercises, exchanges, Squadrons traditions, and more, some specific spotters photos keen on Mirage 2000. Because “ENGAGE” is, above all, your publication, because “ENGAGE!” is the link between all Mirage 2000 users ! So, in other words, we’d like to hear from you, send your letters to: Hervé Hamon, Dassault Aviation, (DGI), 78, quai Marcel Dassault, 92552 Saint-Cloud, Cedex 300 - France, Fax : (+33) 1 47 11 61 10 or at : engage@dassault-aviation.fr
www.dassault-aviation.com
www.snecma-moteurs.com
www.thalesgroup.com/airbornesystems
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ENGAGE! 3-2004
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ENGAGE! 3-2004
MIRAGE 2000 SOLO DISPLAY TEAM 2004 Agenda
July 4 July 18 July 25
REIMS (France) FAIRFORD (U.K.) LA ROCHE SUR YON (France)
May 2 May 8 May 9 May 16 May 23 May 30
VALENCE (France) VALENCIENNES (France) ORANGE (France) COGNAC (France) VILLENEUVE SUR LOT (France) PRATICA DI MARE (Italy)
August 8 August 15 August 22 August 29
SANICOLE (Belgium) ZHUKOVSKY (Russia) PONTOISE (France) RONNEBY (Sweden)
June 13 June 20 June 26 June 27
BRATISLAVA (Slovakia) AVORD (France) EVIAN (France) DIJON (France)
September 5 September 12 September 19 September 26
PAYERNE (Switzerland) RENNES (France) ROANNE (France) CHOLET (France)
October 3
BARCELONE (Spain)
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