Check out the
celebrations for the anniversary of Bleriot's flight.

by Graham Tutthill

Two pilots have now re-created Louis Bleriot's
pioneering flight by flying Bleriot XI monoplanes across the
Channel.

Disappointment for Swedish pilot Mikael
Carlson, when he had to postponed his attempt on Saturday,
turned to joy on Sunday morning when he flew his original Bleriot
plane from Calais to Dover, circling Dover Castle and flying over
the Bleriot memoirial site before landing at the Duke of York's
Royal Military School which had been turned into an airfield for
the weekend.

French pilot Edmond Salis made the crossing successfully on
Saturday, after his attempt was delayed for two hours because of
strong winds.

Other events on Saturday included a fly-past by
the Red Arrows and their French counterparts La Patrouille de
France, a series of aeronautical displays, and a spectacular
15-minute fireworks display, set to music, over Dover Harbour.

Thousands of people
enjoyed a variety of entertainment, stalls and sideshows on
Dover seafront.

British, Belgian and French microlights also flew across the
Channel to Dover, and a number of two-seater planes tooki part
in the Royal Aero Club air race from Abbeville in France to
Dover.

Gyles Brandreth was the guest speaker at a £250 per head gala
dinner at Dover Castle on Saturday evening.

On Sunday, a few flying displays, including two by a
Spitfire, took place at the Duke of York’s Royal Military
School and over the town, but others had to be cancelled because of
the wind.

Mr Carlson was among those hoping to give a display but
spectators had to be content with watching him start the engine on
the ground, so that they could experience the sound that would have
been heard over the White Cliffs 100 years ago.