From July 25 to 31, 2026, the Chambley-Bussières Air Base in northeastern France will host the official qualifying week for the Ultimate Air Challenge (UAC), a one-of-a-kind European ultralight aircraft competition.
Held as part of “Chambley Air Passion – The Sky Celebration,” the event will place France’s Grand Est region at the heart of a major continental aviation gathering. Georges Humeau, president of the Chambley ultralight flying club, and Vincent Pouilleux, owner of the well-known restaurant La Carlingue à Mémé, are the driving forces behind the project.
The official start of the European race will take place in Chambley on August 1, 2026, with crews expected to return by August 8, bringing to a close nearly two weeks of aviation activities in the region.
A european showcase
Pilots from several European countries will converge on Chambley to validate their performance during the qualifying phase. The results will determine the official starting order for the race and provide a strategically important and highly competitive stage of the event.
Throughout the week, spectators will be able to watch aircraft departures and arrivals, attend pilot briefings, follow the evolving rankings, meet competitors, and enjoy a variety of activities and entertainment on the airfield.
Highlighting the regional aviation industry
Chambley Air Passion will open its hangars and facilities to the public, showcasing flying clubs, aviation professionals, schools, industrial partners, and training organizations.
The event aims to highlight the region’s aviation expertise, attract families and aviation enthusiasts, generate local economic benefits, and establish Chambley as a major aviation hub in eastern France.
A seven-day journey across twenty countries
The Ultimate Air Challenge presents a deceptively simple yet formidable challenge: take off from Chambley, fly over as many designated checkpoints across Europe as possible, and return to the starting point within seven days.
Between August 1 and August 7, 2026, participants will be free to chart their own routes through countries including Germany, Spain, Greece, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Finland. In total, approximately twenty countries will be accessible, with some competitors potentially accumulating more than fifty flight hours during the event.
Chambley, a cradle of regional aviation
The Ultimate Air Challenge aims to become for ultralight aviation what major ocean races are for sailing: an iconic, widely followed, and highly publicized competition.
By hosting both the qualifying week and the official start of the European race, Chambley is reinforcing its position as the birthplace of a competition designed to leave a lasting mark on the European aviation landscape.
Georges Humeau: President and Organizer of the UAC
A co-organizer of Chambley Air Passion alongside Vincent Pouilleux, Georges Humeau, 69, is a lifelong aviation enthusiast with a particular passion for ultralight aircraft.
For the past fifteen years, he has led the Chambley Sport & Leisure Ultralight Club, sharing his enthusiasm with new generations of pilots. He also serves as president of the Chambley-Based Aviation Users Association (AUAB) and of the Ultimate Air Challenge itself.
Previously, Humeau served as vice president of the regional committee of the French Ultralight Federation and secretary of the national federation, which represents approximately 16,000 members. He stepped away from those positions to focus on his region, his airfield, and the ambitious projects he is now developing.
Originally from Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, Humeau eventually settled in Metz and joined the Chambley ultralight club.
“I joined when I turned fifty,” he recalls. “I’ve always been involved in nonprofit organizations, and I wanted to contribute my own vision and ideas. I started as the club’s secretary, then became vice president, and finally president in 2014.”
A former Airbus A380 pilot among the students
Today, the Chambley Sport & Leisure Ultralight Club has approximately 160 members and owns six aircraft. It also trains around fifty students, some of whom travel from La Rochelle, Saint-Brieuc, Luxembourg, and Paris.
One student is even a former Airbus A380 pilot.
“They appreciate the atmosphere and the energy of the club,” Humeau explains, “but above all, they value our operating model, which relies entirely on volunteers.”
An ultralight pilot license can generally be earned after 25 to 30 hours of flight instruction, at a cost of approximately €93 per flight hour. As with a driver’s license, candidates must pass both a written and a practical examination.
As part of Chambley Air Passion, Humeau will also introduce young people to aviation through a “Youth Passport” program. Participants who demonstrate commitment through regular visits to the club will be rewarded with a complimentary ultralight flight.
Another initiative involves a partnership between the club and Jean XXIII High School in Metz. The school plans to launch a higher-education aviation program next academic year. The bachelor’s degree program, developed by the IPSA School of Advanced Sciences and Engineering in partnership with Jean XXIII, is expected to further strengthen aviation education in the region.
These efforts appear to be paying off: membership has increased steadily by about five percent annually for the past twelve years.
Vincent Pouilleux: “A Popular, Friendly, and Festive Event”
Vincent Pouilleux, owner of the restaurant La Carlingue à Mémé, is one of the key organizers of Chambley Air Passion, which will run from the morning of July 25 through the evening of August 2, 2026.
“Our goal is to create an event that is popular, friendly, and festive, centered around aviation,” he says. “Every association based at the airfield and affiliated with the AUAB is taking part, along with neighboring municipalities and numerous partners.”
Games, Entertainment, and Activities for All Ages
The festival program includes a wide variety of family-friendly attractions, exhibitors, games, and workshops for children. Visitors can enjoy face-painting stations, jugglers, circus performers, amusement rides, and live entertainment announced throughout the event.
Military units and firefighters will also participate.
The sky itself will be part of the celebration, featuring kites, indoor model-aircraft workshops, miniature hot-air balloons, full-size hot-air balloons, airplanes, gliders, ultralights, paragliders, and skydivers.
Wednesday will be dedicated entirely to children. Hospitalized children and individuals with disabilities will be invited as honored guests.
Throughout the festival, visitors will have opportunities to win flights in hot-air balloons, airplanes, ultralights, gliders, and paragliders.
Music and dance enthusiasts can gather at a traditional open-air dance pavilion set up on the main esplanade.
The cultural side of aviation has not been overlooked. The event will also feature lectures by pilots and aviation experts, book signings by specialized authors, and aviation-themed booksellers.
The final weekend will conclude with what organizers promise will be a major surprise.
More Informations:
AUAB – Tel. +33 6 58 58 77 97