After 30 years in the French Navy and more than 10,000 flying hours, retired Commander Yann ‘Fluo’ Lehe has traded supersonic jets for a quieter life in NZ, volunteering at the Classic Flyers Museum. From carrier decks to Kiwi skies, Lehe’s journey has been anything but ordinary.

A seasoned fleet air arm pilot, his aviation career began in 1975 when he joined the French Navy as part of his compulsory military service. He would go on to become one of the elites – flying combat missions from aircraft carriers around the globe, training on nuclear-capable jets, and even liaising with US forces during Operation Enduring Freedom.

But his path to the cockpit wasn’t exactly direct. “I tried to become a doctor to please my mum because she said the best job in the world is to be a doctor,” Lehe said. “I said: ‘Yes, Mum’, and tried two years doing everything except studying.”

After a short-lived stint as a geology prospector – with hopes of “hunting for diamonds with a donkey” – he found his true calling in the military. Starting as an air traffic controller, he quickly gravitated towards flying, earning his wings in 1981 and becoming the 6058th pilot in the French Navy.

Brutal

His training was brutal and, at times, improvisational. “There were no simulators or twin-seat aircraft. You learned to fly jets ‘on the fly’,” he said.

During the next two decades Lehe would log more than 2000 hours as a combat pilot – often deployed to high-tension zones such as the Mediterranean. “Landing on an aircraft carrier from 10,000 feet – it looks like a box of matches,” he said.

“The three best things in life are a good landing, a good orgasm and a good bowel movement. The night carrier landing is one of the few opportunities in life where you get to experience all three at the same time.”

In 1985 he became an officer, which came with its own perks – “upgraded from a 60cm bunk to an 80cm bunk”. His mother, who had once questioned his decision to join the military, later took immense pride in his career.

“When I told her I was a fighter pilot, she said: ‘Be careful, my son’. When I became an officer, she said: ‘That’s my son’.”

Commander Yann “Fluo” Lehe spent 30 years in the French Navy flying more than 10,000 hours. Photo / Supplied

The Super Etendard

Lehe flew the legendary Super Etendard – worth €30 million ($58.6m) – and completed 550 carrier landings with 100 of them at night, becoming one of the last pilots to be rated on the F-8 Crusader, breaking the sound barrier at Mach 1.55.

He was no stranger to danger or loss. He admits the work was “intense”, but not frightening.

“I lost my best friend and a couple of other colleagues.”

In 2002 Lehe was appointed liaison officer for the French aircraft carrier during Operation Enduring Freedom in the Indian Ocean, coordinating with US carriers including the USS Roosevelt, USS Stennis and USS Kennedy. “Below the sea, there were submarines as part of the fleet.”

After his military retirement in 2003, Lehe seamlessly transitioned into civilian aviation, clocking 2500 hours as a medevac pilot.

“I’d been working for 20 years with guns, bombs, and rockets – so my karma was pretty negative. Flying medevac improved it a lot.”

Yann "Fluo" Lehe in the cockpit of the Pacific Aerospace CT 4B Airtrainer he flies at Mount Maunganui. Photo / Brydie Thompson

From 2006 to 2014, he flew Beechcraft air ambulances, often transporting critically ill patients across Europe and North Africa. One mission stands out – transporting a baby in an incubator that lost temperature mid-flight.

“We raised the cabin temperature to 35C. The baby came through fine – everyone else felt fried.”

New mission

Lehe later undertook surveillance operations over Africa and the Middle East.

“By day, there’d be a shepherd with a couple of goats and sheep. By night, you’ve got an AK-47 and bombs. We were just watching for bad guys and reporting to the proper agency.”

Now based in the Bay of Plenty, Lehe has found purpose volunteering at the Classic Flyers Museum. He also co-owns a light aircraft, which he flies regularly. Although he was a solo display pilot in the French Navy, he isn’t rated here yet as an acrobatic pilot.

“I never fly by myself,” he said. “My mission now is to make my passenger happy. That’s a very important mission.”