When you examine the competition aerobatics and air racing careers of six-time French female aerobatics champion Mélanie Astles, they tell a story of intense focus, of setting and attaining goals, and of overcoming any challenges that would impede her success. Hers is a story best described by the word “perseverance,” and since 2007, when she first started training and competing in aerobatics, she has allowed nothing to stand in her way.
An example of her determination and willingness to adapt to challenges was her 2014 appearance at the World Advanced Aerobatic Championships. She was sharing a CAP 332SC with others in her group, and when it came time for her to compete, the airplane broke down and could not be repaired. Faced with elimination, she welcomed the generosity of an Italian competitor who loaned her his CAP 232. Her mantra of “be bold, be daring” carried her to fourth place in that program—and seventh overall, and first woman overall—despite competing in an unfamiliar airplane she had never flown.
