Paris to London, the Channel in bad weather
This plan recreates a rough Paris to London flight told by Maurice Bellonte: bad weather, parcels, a Swedish passenger, an oil leak, a stop at Poix, a night at Abbeville, refueling at Lydd and a hard-earned arrival in England.
The flight, probably operated under Air Union in the early 1920s, reminds us that early scheduled services remained fragile, slow and exposed to weather.
A scheduled Paris to London flight full of incidents.
Manage weather, mechanics and passengers calmly.
Early Air Union twin-engine transport.
Short distance, real historical tension.
Understanding the flight
The route is short, but the story is delicious. Commercial aviation already promises a quick Paris-London trip, while reality imposes wind, cold, repairs and waiting.
The simulator turns the anecdote into a small scenario: success is less about performance than about deciding when to continue, wait or land.
Before departure
- Choose a slow, heavy and old-fashioned aircraft to keep the 1920s tone.
- Use poor but still flyable weather.
- Treat the Abbeville stop as a narrative element, not just a waypoint.
- Stay at low to medium altitude to feel the Channel and diversions.
Suggested route
Le Bourget, Beauvais and Abbeville
Leaving Paris quickly becomes laborious: wind, slow progress, oil leak and technical stop.
LFPB → LFOB → LFOI
Lydd and Channel crossing
The next morning, the crossing is barely completed before refueling on the English coast.
LFOI → EGMD
Croydon / Biggin Hill
The final branch toward London concludes a flight far longer than the brochure promised.
EGMD → EGKB
Experience tips
Do not make the weather too easy: the charm comes from controlled discomfort.
Play the scenario. A pause, an imagined repair and a morning departure give the flight its full flavor.
Copyright Michel Lagneau 2012