Four
international pilots flying Bleriot monoplanes will attempt to
recreate the first cross-Channel flight to mark its centenary this
summer.

The pilots, from Sweden, Luxembourg, France and Holland, are
preparing their craft for the crossing as part of the Bleriot
centenary events being held at Dover on July 25 and 26.

One of them, Swedish pilot Mikael Carlson who owns two Bleriot
planes, was at the launch of the Dover 2009 celebrations held at
the Duke of York's Royal Military School on Wednesday. And he is
confident that providing the weather is favourable he can make
it.

Also taking part will be Henk van Hoorn from Holland, Luxembourg
pilot Pascal Kremer and a member of the Salis family from
France. They will all be aiming to land at the Duke of York's
School, where the rugby pitches will be turned into an airfield for
the weekend.

The crossing, accompanied by a host of other small aircraft,
will be one of the highlights of the weekend which will also
include flypasts by the Red Arrows and the RAF Battle of Britain
Memorial Flight, and a firework spectacular on Dover seafront.

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The seafront itself will be closed to traffic and three
"villages" will be created, with traders from England, France and
Italy displaying their produce.

Talks have been going on for the past 18 months to draw up the
plans for the celebrations and the authorities hope the event will
attract hundreds, if not thousands, of visitors to the town.

Trumpeters from the Duke of York's School, which is also
celebrating its centenary of moving to Dover, played a fanfare to
mark the start of the launch, and Air Marshall Cliff Spink gave a
display in a spitfire, flying low over the school grounds.

The event is being sponsored by Shell Aviation.

More details are available on the website www.dover2009.com