From watchmaking to aviation

Before learning to draw houses, like all children his age, Lionel Meylan drew airplanes. I spent part of my childhood ill,” he says. Until the age of 12, I was bedridden, so I read a lot of comics, but the ones I liked always had to do with aviation. Then I started making static models of airplanes. I continued with throwing models, then came remote controls… and, one thing leading to another, I passed patents and became a glider instructor.”

Gliders, motors, seaplanes, aerobatics… Is it the fruit of passion to always want more? In addition to his job as a watchmaker, Lionel Meylan never tires of exploring the Earth from the sky. His favorite itineraries include circling the Matterhorn, flying over Ticino and Lac de Joux.

Whenever he can, he flies. Weekends, vacations. Fatherhood in no way diminishes the time he devotes to his passion. His sons accompany him in the planes, spending their free time on the tarmac of the Bex aerodrome. Insidiously, the aviation virus took hold. It reached all family members. It brings them together. It forges indestructible bonds and allows unforgettable stories to be written.

Story of a Poussin who could fly

It owes its nickname to its color. Yellow. Like the Swiss military aircraft designed in the 1930s. Yellow as a chick, then, which was the obvious choice of name for this little biplane collector’s plane that fell into the Meylan family four years ago.

Designed specifically for aerobatics in 1936 by German engineer Carl C. Bücker, the aircraft that bears his name was only produced in a limited number of examples. Bought by the Swiss army, which was then looking for an aircraft for its aviation school, the Bücker license led to the production of around a hundred units, which served as training aids for army pilots until 1972. For pilots, it’s a plane with a real aura,” says Lionel Meylan. Our famous Vevey astronaut Claude Nicollier took his first steps on this machine. The Bücker was so well designed, reliable, safe and aerodynamic that it was perfect for learning.

Lionel Meylan has often flown the Poussin with this funny yellow bird. It’s on board that he invites new Breitling owners to experience their watch’s first flight. A flight of around an hour, with the watch on your wrist, to experience rare and unique sensations.

Words from enthusiasts

Lionel Meylan Every flight is different, the light, the currents… The conditions are never the same. I remember my motor training in Lausanne in 1984. I made my first flight in winter, it had snowed, it was magnificent, truly magical. My passion for aviation is a disease for which no vaccine has yet been found. I love the objective and the challenge that come with flying. As long as the virus is circulating, I’ll keep going.

Julien Meylan When I was a child, I spent every weekend at the airfield. Our father was an instructor, and I remember sitting in the glider on his lap as he taught his student the ropes.

Yannick Meylan When I was a kid, I wanted to levitate, which today’s helicopter allows me to do, in a way. I would never fly alone. For me, aviation is about sharing something, surprising people, experiencing emotions together. My pleasure lies in provoking the wonderment of my passengers.