NEWSLETTER JULY 2025
He said he would fly in the summer of 2025.
He kept his word… to the day!
Mihail Silvestru, our “customer of the month” for April 2024, took on an unusual challenge: to build a MCR-4S EVOLUTION with his son Iancu, who was only 8 years old at the time, in a container in the middle of the Romanian countryside, far from any big city.
It was an extraordinary human adventure, filled with passion, patience, and complicity between a father and his son.
This first epic journey heralds another: a world tour in an MCR-4S with the whole family. That’s why Mihail chose a four-leaf clover as the emblem for his plane, a symbol of luck, but also of unity and hope for the adventures to come.
We took the opportunity to ask him a few questions…
How did the final steps of building your plane went?
Well, as the “Pareto principle” says, the last 20% of a task requires 80% of the energy. It wasn’t any harder technically, but it was much more emotional. The “I want to build an airplane” became “I have to build an airplane.” I was under pressure from a deadline, the desire to see it fly, the start of the flying season—in short, the need to take off. The trigger? A comment from my son: “Dad, that plane isn’t going to build itself. Come on, get to work!”.
The search for “perfection” has therefore given way to “safe and good enough”. Despite this, our MCR-4S has lost none of its quality. Perfection has almost been achieved.
To assemble the wings, the container turned out to be too small. So we set them up in my wife’s meditation space. In the end, it was the perfect place to prepare wings that were destined to “elevate.” On March 15, the plane was ready to leave for Pontarlier for the final step.
You had to transport the plane by road from Romania to Pontarlier to finalize assembly and make the last adjustments. How did you organize that trip?
Getting the plane out of the forest was a whole other story, but it was manageable. Seeing the fuselage come out of the container was a bit like witnessing a birth after a 30-month gestation period. It was a very memorable moment, full of emotion.
It then had to be transported in two parts (wings and fuselage) in a truck that was several kilometers away.
It took a lot of logistics… and a few motivated friends! We placed it on an open flatbed trailer and transported it through muddy paths, bushy fields, and narrow country roads, just to reach the transport company’s site.
To ensure that everything was properly secured, I created a 3D model of the main volumes in order to design custom supports to hold everything securely in place.
Everything was then loaded onto a standard 40-foot truck trailer. It was a precision operation, with a margin of error of just three centimeters.
The trip went smoothly, and the plane arrived safely in Pontarlier for the final phase of its construction.
At SE Aviation Aircraft, I worked independently, but the teams helped me by sharing their procedures, expertise, and knowledge. The support was genuine. I wasn’t just a customer. I was welcomed, integrated, and almost adopted by a caring team. They are wonderful people who became true friends.
And your first flight? How was it?
Ground tests, checks, fuel lines, oil levels, first engine start… we went through everything. Then, of course, there is the essential administrative component: the procedures involving OSAC, the DGAC, and the entire regulatory framework that must be followed. Unlike technical aspects, which are often more straightforward, administrative processes require time, accuracy, and careful coordination. Communications may stretch over several weeks, sometimes requiring adjustments or additional documentation. It is a vital step in the process, ensuring the project’s overall compliance and safety.
Then came the day of the first flight with Eric Fumey on board. A 10-minute flight during which he didn’t say a word. When we landed, he said just one thing: “Perfect. Nothing to adjust!” . It just puzzled me. It makes no sense. What do you mean, “nothing to adjust”? I couldn’t believe it. All the settings were correct. When he released the controls, the plane flew straight, calm and stable.
Then I made my first solo flight… and reality hit me: building a plane is one thing. Flying it is another. I had a few rough landings and made a few mistakes, but fortunately nothing serious. Today, I’m still learning, but the 4S is a sound aircraft that’s easy to handle. I’m not a great pilot yet. But I’m learning, and I know I can trust my MCR-4S.
You then flew your plane back to Romania. How did you feel during that first trip?
In fact, I wasn’t truly ready. Ideally, I would have liked to be the perfect pilot for my MCR-4S, and then fly home. But I didn’t have time. So I just took off. The plane helped me a lot: it’s easy to fly, sound, and safe. The flight went very well. I landed halfway in Austria for a good meal and a coffee because I needed a break. The 4S, on the other hand, didn’t need one. It could have flown non-stop to its destination.
But it was the landing at home, on the Deva runway (LRDV), on June 21, that made the biggest impression on me, because I felt a sense of accomplishment. Arriving in Romania was a powerful symbol for me.
Your son built the plane with you. The first flight with him must have been very emotional…
I promised myself I would fly 50 hours solo to gain experience before taking my family flying with me. I didn’t keep that promise because I quickly gained confidence. Confidence in myself, in my flying skills and, above all, confidence in my MCR-4S.
A few days later, after a few circuits and local flights, the whole family took to the skies for a weekend.
Regarding my son, I don’t really have the words to describe his smile and the look in his eyes. It was the look of a child flying for the first time in an airplane he had built with his father over almost three years. You have to experience it to understand and feel his joy.
Now, a new adventure awaits us: our big family journey!
Good point! When are you leaving, and do you already have an idea of your itinerary?
As we speak, we’re in the midst of preparations. As soon as our bags are packed, we’ll set off on our year-long round-the-world trip. Our project is called Tri-Fly (or Tri-Flying, we haven’t decided yet). It’s a wordplay on the Romanian word for “four-leaf clover,” which is “Tri-Foi.” We wanted an inspiring name for our blog, YouTube channel, and Instagram.
As for the itinerary, we’ll start off gently in Europe. It’s an easy region to travel by plane: the distances are reasonable, the infrastructure is reliable, in short, we know what to expect. We’ll try to get to the Nordic countries, depending on the weather.
Then we’ll cross the Mediterranean to visit North Africa.
Next will be the Atlantic: the United States and Canada. We’ll cross the ocean, perhaps by plane. The MCR-4S is perfectly capable of doing so. The pilot is still training!
I’d also really like to go to Asia. I’ve been there more than ten times on commercial flights, but I don’t yet know how general aviation works there.
We wish you all the best for this wonderful journey.
Do you have anything else to say?
For me, building an MCR-4S was way beyond my capabilities in many ways. I could never have done it without the help of my friends, who were always there when I needed them, always ready to lend a hand, listen, encourage, and pitch in. A thank-you-list would be too long, and there’s no point in going into detail: they know who they are. So, just… Thank you!
And I must also express my gratitude to Éric Fumey and the team at SE Aviation Aircraft. Their kindness, patience, technical advice, and experienced insight were essential. It wasn’t just support: it was a transmission of knowledge. And I won’t forget it.
As we write this, Mihail Silvestru and his family are about to start their journey. As soon as they leave, we will share the links to their blog, YouTube channel, and Instagram. We will also be posting updates about their adventure on our Facebook page.
Bon voyage, Mihail!
WHAT IS NEW AT SE AVIATION AIRCRAFT?
THE MEDIA TALKS ABOUT US
After being highlighted in an article published on June 17 by Aerobuzz.fr, following the signing of a contract with the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) at the 2025 Paris Air Show for the acquisition of an evaluation model, our M.A.L.E. DRIADE drone has been in the spotlight once again: TF1 (French mainstream TV channel) featured it in a report broadcast on the 8 p.m. news on July 16.
This was a great opportunity for Éric Fumey, CEO of SE Aviation Aircraft, to present our DRIADE program to a wide audience during prime time.
The TV podcast is available BY CLICKING HERE.
As a reminder, assembly of the DRIADE drone is now complete, and its maiden flight is scheduled for September 2025.
An initial test mission in an air-sea environment will also be conducted this fall, in partnership with DIADÈS MARINE.
