French air force rehearses Bastille Day parade above Paris
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00:00On one day a year, Paris' Champs-Elysees becomes a military parade route,
00:05and the skies above it, a stage for aircraft flying in formation.
00:10Ahead of Bastille Day on the 14th of July, crews are rehearsing with military precision.
00:17All the aircraft, whether they're jets or transport planes like this one,
00:21must fly at the same speed and altitude, and that requires huge coordination.
00:27The display isn't purely for the sake of spectacle,
00:30but to show what these pilots and aircraft can do in real-world situations.
00:37The A330 MRTT Phoenix is a refueling aircraft, meaning that it can refuel two jets in flight,
00:44and is also capable of medical evacuation.
00:47The idea is to be able to act quickly and provide intensive first aid to people in need.
00:53It's France's national day, but allies will also be taking part.
00:58I'm really excited to do it, and honour France and the nation,
01:03because they've always been there for America,
01:05and it's exciting for an American to participate in such a big day.
01:09This is usually the only opportunity pilots have to fly low over central Paris,
01:14giving them a rare perspective.
01:18It's a completely different game. It completely changes the way you think about it.
01:22It changes the view you have of Paris.
01:24Seen from above, it seems like a quiet city.
01:28That's during the rehearsals.
01:30But on the 14th of July, the city will look very different again from above,
01:34as tens of thousands of spectators line the Bastille Day parade route.