Paratroopers will launch over Paris from a helicopter this Wednesday evening

A view of the capital, very close to the Eiffel Tower, at sunset. This is what should contemplate, this Wednesday evening, three lucky ones who will launch by parachute over Paris, from a helicopter, announced Tuesday evening the prefecture of police of Paris (PP).

In a statement, the PP explains that "on the occasion of the award ceremony of the Youth Armies prize, within the Military School in Paris (VII arrondissement) and at the request of the Ministry of the Armed Forces, a specialized company will carry out an overflight of the area and proceed to a drop of three paratroopers".

The overflight operation will be carried out by a twin-engine helicopter and should last 1h45, between 19h30 and 21h15. "In order to drop the paratroopers over the site of the Military School, the aircraft will climb to a maximum altitude of 4,900 feet (1,493 m) in a work area located between Swan Island, the National Assembly, the Necker Hospital and the Blomet pool," says the police headquarters.

Overflights of the capital subject to authorization

This prize is intended to reward an action undertaken between a military and civilian organization (a school, a local authority or an association) within the framework of the link armed nation. In 2022, for the twentieth edition, the winners were the Patrouille de France (PAF), the Center for Strategic Aerospace Studies (CESA) but also at the Bégin Army Training Hospital in Saint-Mandé (Val-de-Marne).

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So don't panic about this helicopter flyover. It must be said that the inhabitants of Paris and even the Île-de-France are used to overflights, whether for military exercises, shots or complicated and particular deliveries that can only be done by air. However, flights remain less frequent than in other cities such as New York where tourist flights or those of major media helicopters are daily.

As a reminder, since 1948, flying over the capital below 2,000 m is prohibited and therefore systematically subject to authorization.