Guadeloupe Islands from the sky

Flying in an autogyro over the archipelago is an exceptional adventure to say the least. A unique experience to admire the splendour of its coasts, its turquoise waters and the beauty of its landscapes.

THE AUTO WHAT?
The autogyro belongs to the ULM family. It is recognizable by its propeller, its engine at the rear and its two seats one behind the other. Its featherweight is about 280 kilos. Before each flight, an instructor checks the technical points to ensure safety and then explains the circuit to come. On this day,
we’ll be flying over the coast at an altitude of a thousand feet and the speed will be about 130 km/hour.

THE TAKE-OFF & THE FLIGHT
The attendant’s seat is right behind the pilot’s seat. Equipped with a helmet with a microphone, it is possible to exchange with him during the whole flight. As for safety, a belt ensures that the body position is maintained. At take-off, the rotor accelerates, the gyrocopter rolls on the runway and then takes off slowly. The higher you climb, the more the feeling of freedom increases because the gyroplane has no fuselage only transparent plexiglass windows facing the faces to cut the wind. On the sides, emptiness.

 

 

THE LANDSCAPES
The pilot turns wide to avoid rushing the aircraft. We pass over sugar cane fields and small colourful houses. On our left, we can make out the coasts and transparent waters punctuated with corals. Then, in the distance, we can see La Désirade. A magical moment. The end of Grande-Terre is not far away. It appears after a succession of beaches lined with coconut palms. Here is the cross of the Pointe des Châteaux at noon. We go around it and then along the coast on the other side. Track game from the sky, we recognize the lagoon, the marina, the golf course and the market of Saint-François.

LANDING
The return is as smooth as the takeoff. The pilot positions the gyroplane in front of a runway like an airplane, but once above it, we land vertically at zero speed (zero kinetic energy) as a
helicopter. A great adventure.

 

 

À LA CARTE CIRCUIT BY AUTOGYRO OR HELICOPTER
Flight Saint-François – Pointe des Châteaux, 20 minutes, 70 €**
Flight Saint-François – Pointe des Châteaux – Petite Terre, 30 minutes, €120
Flight Saint-François – Pointe des Châteaux – Petite Terre – La Désirade, 45 minutes, €150
Flight Grande-Terre – Grand Cul de Sac Marin, Pointe-à-Pitre, h, €260
Flight Saint-François – Marie-Galante – Les Saintes, 340 €**
Saint-François aerodrome // Tel: +590 (0)6 90 64 28 48 // info@ulmcaraibes.com //www.ulmcaraibes.com

THE ISLANDS OF THE SKY
Equipped with two Zenair 701 seaplanes, this flying school also offers sightseeing tours on
the whole archipelago.
Hotel Canella Beach Le Gosier, 97190, Guadeloupe // +590 (0)6 90 58 23 10 // www.ulm-guadeloupe.com
*Prices from