Félix ULM

Félix ULM is a microlight (ULM) flight school and aerial tourism operator based on Réunion Island, a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean. According to its official website, the business has been established since 1988 and describes itself as the pioneer of microlight aviation on the island, having created the first flight circuits and trained the first pilots. It operates from a base at Cambaie, on the west coast of the island, with a panoramic view over Cape Lahoussaye. The company offers two main categories of service. The first is recreational microlight flights for tourists and visitors who want to see Réunion Island from the air, including overflights of the island's dramatic landscapes. The second is professional training: Félix ULM runs an ultralight pilot school certified by the FFPLUM, the French Federation of Microlight flying. Training combines a theoretical programme (flight mechanics, piloting, meteorology, regulations, altimetry, safety and human factors) with a practical programme covering take-off, circuits, landing, breakdown management, solo flights and a final test. Depending on the student, roughly 20 to 60 flight hours are typically needed to fly solo, with additional training required to carry passengers. There is no strict minimum age, only the physical ability to reach the rudder pedals. Félix ULM positions itself as a more authentic and intimate alternative to helicopter tours, emphasising the sharing of pilot anecdotes and local knowledge during flights. Its Cambaie base is described as protected from the wind, with clear skies on most days of the year, and flights are postponed without charge if conditions are unsuitable. The company states that it is the only base on Réunion Island where customers can fly an ultralight trike. Day-to-day reception is handled by Dorothée, while the pilots guide and narrate the flights; the founder, Félix, remains part of the brand's identity and storytelling. The business is privately held and operates primarily in the Réunion Island market, serving both local aspiring pilots and visiting tourists. Its website is available in French, English and German, reflecting the international tourist audience it targets.

Félix ULM was established in 1988 on Réunion Island, according to its official website. The company describes itself as the pioneer of microlight (ULM) aviation on the island, stating that it created the first flight circuits and trained the first pilots. This places its founding at a time when microlight flying was still a young and relatively niche activity in the French overseas territories. Over the following decades, the business developed into both a flight school and an aerial tourism operator. Its base at Cambaie, on the west coast of Réunion Island, became the centre of its operations, offering a panoramic view over Cape Lahoussaye. The company states that it is the only base on the island where customers can fly an ultralight trike. Its flight school became certified by the FFPLUM, the French Federation of Microlight flying, and offers a structured training programme. The theoretical component covers flight mechanics, piloting, meteorology, regulations, altimetry, safety and human factors. The practical component includes discovery of the flight environment, learning to fly and manage flights, take-off, circuits and landing, breakdown management, release and solo circuits, improvement of piloting, and a final test. The school notes that between 20 and 60 flight hours are generally needed to fly solo, with complementary training required to carry a passenger, and that there is no minimum age as long as the student can reach the rudder pedals. Alongside training, Félix ULM built a tourism business offering microlight flights over Réunion Island. It markets these flights as a more authentic and intimate experience than a helicopter tour, with pilots sharing anecdotes, knowledge and tourist tips during the flight. The Cambaie base is described as protected from the wind, with clear skies almost every day of the year, and flights are postponed without charge in case of bad conditions. The brand's identity is closely tied to its founder, Félix, whose moustache and adventures are referenced in the company's own storytelling. Day-to-day reception is handled by Dorothée, who welcomes visitors daily. The company's website is available in French, English and German, reflecting its appeal to international tourists visiting Réunion Island. As of the available evidence, Félix ULM remains an active, privately held business focused on the Réunion Island market.

• 1988

  Félix ULM is established on Réunion Island, described as the pioneer of microlight aviation on the island.

• The company creates the first microlight flight circuits and trains the first pilots on Réunion Island.

• Félix ULM's flight school becomes certified by the FFPLUM (French Federation of Microlight).

Authentic, intimate microlight flight experiences and professional pilot training on Réunion Island, positioned as an alternative to helicopter tours.

• Microlight sightseeing flights

  Recreational flights over Réunion Island, marketed as a more authentic and intimate alternative to helicopter tours.

• Ultralight pilot training

  FFPLUM-certified training combining theoretical and practical programmes, typically requiring 20 to 60 flight hours to fly solo.

• Introductory discovery flights

  Introductory flights with an instructor for those curious about ultralight flying before committing to full training.

• Ultralight trike flights

  Flights on an ultralight trike, available at Félix ULM's Cambaie base, described as the only such base on Réunion Island.

1. 1Felix ULM – Le pionnier de l'ULM à La Réunionfelixulm.com
2. 2Our services – Felix ULMfelixulm.com
3. 3Félix ULMwikidata.org