This year’s national celebration at the military parade on July 14^th, 2010 honours the African continent, following on from India in 2009. Shortly after the 10am opening by the French Head of State, President Sarkozy, army units from each of thirteen sub-Saharan African states marched down the Champs-Élysées, commemorating fifty years of independence. As tradition dictates, the march-past was accompanied by an aerial fly-by, spearheaded by the nine Alphajets of the Patrouille de France—whose patron is Carla Bruni-Sarkozy—under the leadership of Squadron Leader Virginie Guyot.

Virginie Guyot, first woman to take command of the Patrouille de France (precision aerobatics demonstration team) in 2009. A meeting with Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, patroness of the Patrouille, during a flight demonstration in Salon-de-Provence (April 2010).

Commander Virginie Guyot is not the first woman fighter pilot, but she is the first woman in the world to take the command of a national precision aerobatics team. Virginie sees her appointment as “Leader of the Patrouille de France” on November 25, 2009, as recognition of a passion dating back to her childhood. A quick look at a rather atypical career.

You entered the Air Force School in 1997 at the age of 20. Did you dream of becoming a fighter pilot when you were a little girl?

I got the bug at the age of 12. My father, who was an Army officer, was a great aviation fan and used to take me to aviation meetings. After a first flight on board a small propeller plane, I wanted to be a helicopter pilot. For me, that was magical – a machine that can fly very low and land anywhere, even in a field, to save lives. Finally, after a medical test, I realized it was more difficult than I thought. So after doing a science baccalaureate and advanced math at university, I sat the Air Force career officer exam and became a fighter pilot. It was a vocation that came to me quite late, because it’s a job that people often think is impossible to aim for.

Especially when you’re a woman?

Everyone thinks the army is full of macho types. It’s not true. The Air Force is one of the youngest of the armed forces – it’s only 75 years old – and also the one with largest percentage of women, around 18%. It’s very open-minded; you’re judged on your skills and women are paid the same as men at the same level of skills. We all know that’s very rare in civilian society. My girlfriends who work in the business world often have to deal more with macho behavior than I do …

So what about your private life as a woman?

Flying fighter planes, whether you are a man or a woman, requires a lot of qualifications. It’s true that I deliberately waited until I’d got the highest qualification, as head of a patrol, before I had my first child. It was bit programmed and I was lucky that it worked, but it was essential if I wanted to join the team. That’s the only constraint I had to respect as a woman.

What is a typical day in the Patrouille de France?

My day starts at 8 am and finishes around 6.30 pm. That includes two flights, three sometimes, interspersed with briefings, debriefings and sports training with a quick break for a sandwich and a little time to do some paperwork too …

Why does it require so much training?

Because it’s technically difficult. There are figures, crossing maneuvers, very low altitude aerobatics. You have to be able to do them right and all the pilots have to train hard to be able to perform all these maneuvers in close formation.

What is the Patrouille de France for?

That’s like asking me what the French flag is for! The Patrouille de France is an ambassador, just like the First Lady of France who has done us the honor of agreeing to become our patroness. We represent France, as a symbol of technical excellence and know-how. We showcase our skills and the professionalism of those that put them into practice. When a plane breaks down, for instance, our mechanics might spend the whole night fixing it so it’s ready for its mission the next day. We also promote French aviation in general. For instance, we did an international tour in 2009, flying 50,000 km in 40 stages, and we were on time for each rendezvous. This kind of prowess demonstrates the reliability of French matériel and the commitment of military personnel to carrying out their missions. Outside France, we also use red, white and blue tracers to represent our country.

Do you take pleasure in flying?

During a demonstration, we’re flying at between 500 and 900 km/hour with very sharp accelerations. We’re just two to three meters away from each other, which requires extreme concentration – it’s very tiring. You must have a taste for hard work and not spare yourself. At the beginning, just as in any job, in a squadron, the enjoyment is minimal. Even if the first flight is really something, you have to get used to it … But with experience, with a little hindsight, sometimes it’s just a few seconds, taken almost stealthily – because you can’t ever really let yourself go. In the Patrouille de France, you have to be concentrated. The slightest error can be fatal for the people flying alongside you. The pleasure comes afterwards, or when you open up the throttle for takeoff.

What are your most vivid memories of the team?

There’s your first flight with the team, which is always a fantastic moment. Then several other stages, your first loop-the-loop, and also the tour we did last year. We went from Salon-de-Provence to Santiago du Chili, through Moscow first off, then along the Northern route, Iceland, Greenland. We passed over the equator, flew over the Andean Cordillera. We went to Brazil, Argentina, the USA. I have very vivid memories of flying but also of being on the ground – the very warm welcome we got from the Argentineans. And the French Antilles – that was the first time they had seen the Patrouille de France. Fantastic welcome. You experience those feelings that people tend to forgot these days, feelings of patriotism …

Do you have any heroes or heroines?

I don’t really have this type of image. But I was brought up in an environment where knowing where you’ve come from is very important. Be respectful, respect the memory of those who died for us … We should not forget those people who gave their lives during the First and Second World Wars. I have a lot of admiration for resistance fighters and I also think of those Russian women who flew planes during the Second World War. No-one ever mentions them. I’ve visited a lot of monuments, I went to see the former concentration camps, the trenches, the Normandy Landing beaches. In my family, we cultivate this respect for values. We are living in a society that is becoming increasingly focused on the individual, a world of competition. The armed forces are perhaps one of the last places where this competitive spirit doesn’t exist. Whether it’s the Patrouille de France or soldiers in Afghanistan, there’s a very tight-knit community spirit. Everything you do is for the group. Every year, through a co-optation system, three new pilots are welcomed. The star is the Patrouille de France. For us as individuals, we’re just passing through …

What about your life outside your job?

I don’t have a lot of spare time. On the ground, I devote my time primarily to my family and friends. I love sport and travel. I know it’s difficult for my family because I spend a lot of time with my team. But my husband is an officer in the Gendarmerie – he used to be with the Air Force, and I think he understands …

And for the future?

I’m a career officer, so I plan to stay a long time in the Air Force. At some point I’m supposed to join the general staff, but for the moment I’m happy to devote myself to this extraordinary, fabulous, human adventure.