METTING DE L'AIR
BASE AERIENNE 709
COGNAC CHATEAUBERNARD
FRANCE
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The Meeting de l'Air 2026 took place with exceptional success on May 30 and 31, 2026 at the Air Force Base 709 "Commandant René Mouchotte" in Cognac-Châteaubernard. Organised by the Fondation des Œuvres Sociales de l'Air (FOSA) on the occasion of its 90th anniversary, the event attracted aviation enthusiasts from all over Europe for a weekend of technological and aerobatic excellence.
Dassault-Breguet-Dornier Alpha Jet " Patrouille de France" France - Air Force
The event was sold out, reaching the maximum limit of 22,000 spectators per day, for a total of 44,000 admissions over the weekend. Tickets, available exclusively through online pre-sale on the official FOSA website, sold out quickly. The weekend was characterized by ideal weather conditions for flying. Both days offered mostly clear skies, excellent horizontal visibility and light winds, allowing all patrols and solo displays to perform their full ("high") aerobatic programs without any restrictions or delay of the lineup.
Dassault Mirage 2000-5F France - Air Force
The flight program saw modern aircraft, strategic drones and international elite aerobatic formations alternate:
1. Aerobatic teams: The hosts of the Patrouille de France enchanted the audience with their Alpha Jets, flanked for the occasion by the Swiss guests of honor of the Patrouille Suisse. Space also for the evolutions of the Mustang X-Ray aerobatic team.
2. Fighter jet: Breathtaking performance of the Rafale Solo Display (piloted by Captain Alexandre "Rocky" Roeckel), which showed the extreme maneuverability of the transalpine fighter. Mirage 2000 tactical fighters were also present in flight.
3. Transport aircraft and drones: Power demonstrations of the colossal Airbus A400M Atlas four-turboprop. Great interest was aroused by the passage in flight of the MQ-9 Reaper strategic reconnaissance drone, an aircraft stationed right on the Cognac base.
4. Flight Schools: Performances of the training aircraft of the Cognac Fighter Pilot School, which trains future French fighter pilots
The Meeting de l'Air 2026 at Base Aérienne 709 found its emotional and technical climax in the ten minutes of pure adrenaline offered by the Rafale Solo Display (RSD). At the controls of the French multirole fighter, Captain Alexandre "Rocky" Roeckel literally inflamed the audience, confirming why this exhibition is considered among the most spectacular and technically demanding on the world aeronautical scene.
Dassault Rafale C ETR 03.004 Aquitaine Saint Dizier/Robinson (LFSI) BA113 France - Air Force
With the afterburners lit cutting through the air, the Rafale detached from the Cognac track and immediately projected itself into a breathtaking vertical candle, disappearing for an instant into the blue sky before launching into the first series of very high load factor manoeuvres. The flight program made the most of the exceptional weather conditions of the weekend. Taking advantage of the perfect visibility, "Rocky" performed the "high" setlist, a tight sequence of acrobatic figures without a moment's rest. Its performance in Cognac reaffirmed the role of the Rafale Solo Display: a perfect ambassador of the technological excellence of the French aeronautical industry and the mastery of the pilots of the Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace.
Dassault Mirage 2000D Escadron de Chasse 1/3 "Navarre" BA 133 Nancy-Ochey France - Air Force
The bellies of the planes have stopped vibrating in our chests, but the echo of that roar remains inside, like an accelerated beat. Cognac 2026 ends here, but the emotions of these days will continue to fly high in the memory. Because anyone who has rolled their eyes this weekend knows that, from tomorrow, looking at the clouds will never be the same again.
