The passion for the sky and military commitment of Prix Pierrat
Originally from Vosges, Prix Pierrat shares his inspiring journey, marked by his calling to be a naval aviation pilot since the age of 10.
Although it may seem surprising coming from a mountainous region, his parents owned a house in Hyères, in La Capte, where he spent his holidays. It was there that he was introduced to the aviation world, watching a pilot leave his home every morning, dressed in his uniform.
MEMORIES, MEMORIES...
The childhood memories of this enthusiast led him to meet another iconic pilot of French aviation: René Fonck. The latter, who held the record for aerial victories during World War I, welcomed local children every Thursday afternoon, back when Prix Pierrat was a schoolboy in Nancy, to tell them fascinating stories about his exploits. It was through these meetings that the young boy decided that he could only see his future in an airplane. Another episode marked him at the age of 10. One summer in La Capte, he regularly visited the pilot and his father, a veteran of the naval aviation. One day, he found his friend in tears, telling him of the tragic death of his son, P’tit Guy, during a training mission. On returning to port, the man also revealed that René Fonck had died the same day. Deeply moved, Prix, then a young boy, exclaimed, "I will be a pilot in the naval aviation!"
PASSION
Despite the expectations of his father, an industrialist who wanted him to take over, he chose to follow his passion. After obtaining his baccalaureate, Prix Pierrat enlisted at 18, with his mother signing for him as he was a minor. Although his father cut ties, he pursued his dream and eventually reconciled with him several years later. He proudly declares, "I have never worked a day in my life, I have indulged a passion." His military career began in Nancy, followed by training in Hourtin and Saint-Raphaël. At just 20 years old, he was an operational pilot, becoming a captain at 22, a rare feat. By the end of his career, he had logged 14,750 flight hours, becoming the French military pilot with the highest number of flight hours, with more than 40 types of aircraft flown, including helicopters, Atlantic and Neptune planes...
TOP-LEVEL ATHLETE
Alongside his aviation career, Prix Pierrat was a top-level athlete, participating twice in the Olympic Games, in athletics in Tokyo in 1964 and in handball in Mexico in 1968. However, faced with the choice between sport and his military commitment, he opted for piloting, while continuing to practice sports. For him, the life of a pilot is not only a passion, but also a human adventure. As president of the veterans of naval aviation, he emphasizes the importance of the bonds forged within the military community: "What is essential is this mutual aid, this support." In the navy, he explains how detachments are formed, creating strong friendships between people who, in civilian life, might never have met. His commitment led him to experience moments of tension during missions in Tchad and Mauritanie, sensitive areas. A striking anecdote from his career is the memory of a flight that should have taken him and his crew on November 11, 1964. Because of his participation in the Olympic Games, he was not on the plane that crashed in Crète, learning the tragic news from the wife of a crew member. This moment of guilt and loss remained engraved in his memory. Today, this man, with a journey as rich as it is touching, continues to share his passion for aviation and his life experience. His story is a tribute to the determination, commitment, and friendship that unite naval aviation pilots. •
Photos Alain BLANCHOT.