6.

Director Calmotte and his two acolytes hurried outside, leaving the computer operator with the still groggy pilot.
The capricious wind swept around them, dusting them with tiny specks of sea spray, like pollen from the ocean.
Alongside the runway a helicopter rotor roared over the wind, causing the ground to vibrate.
An Ecureuil EC155 powered by Turbomeca Ardiden turboshaft engines had landed. Three men climbed out, reflexively ducking under the still spinning blades.
They walked briskly over to greet the director.
"I'm Franck Calmotte," he said. "Director of this remote diagnostics site.".
The tallest of the three, who looked about 50, with graying hair and an angular face, shook hands with the director.
"I'm from the SAFRAN Group, and these gentlemen are from the French Ministry of Defense and Dassault. Can we go inside to talk?"
Calmotte signaled for them to follow him.
In a few moments they were seated in his office, sipping cups of steaming hot coffee.
"Listen, I really am sorry," said Calmotte. "We took emergency measures without waiting to get approvals from anyone. We thought this was a red alert situation and didn't have much choice…"
The tall man swept away his apology with his hand. "There's absolutely no need to apologize. It just shows how vigilant our teams are! And if we'd really wanted to be left alone, we would have remembered to disconnect the transmitter in the Falcon that links it to your system.
"Normally this plane is used for regular civil flights, which is why it's registered with the remote diagnostics system. But we've been using it to test new materials for the past few months."
"Like self-healing ceramics, for instance?"
The tall man was clearly impressed.
"Among others. You sure didn't waste any time analyzing the aircraft," he smiled.
Calmotte replied with almost paternal pride: "I have a really good team of engineers working here."
"Well they're definitely on the ball. They were tracking every second of our flight out over the Atlantic if the report that was radioed to me during our trip here is correct."
"Correct. We thought the Falcon was running short of fuel. It had been flying for too long and exceeded the range for this type of aircraft. So yes, we were worried."
"But the remote diagnostics data was accurate, wasn't it?"
"We thought it had to be a computer error."
The tall man swept his hand through his gray hair, looking somewhat vexed.
"Our onboard computers are very, very reliable. The probability that they would generate an error is so minimal that the magnitude of a human error is enormous by comparison…"
He quickly raised his finger to add: "Not that we're criticizing you, of course."
Calmotte shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
"Can I ask you something?" he said finally.
"Go ahead, shoot."
"Why were the pilots asleep?"
The tall man was obviously waiting for the question. A smile broke out on his face as he glanced at the other two.
"Total confidence."
Calmotte made a wry face. "Excuse me?"
"Because we had total confidence. Our equipment is so effective, so absolutely reliable, that we can fly planes without a pilot."
"But putting them to sleep?" Calmotte exclaimed. "That's pretty radical."
"It is. But it simply reflects a failsafe confidence in our products. If we can fly our planes with the pilots asleep at the wheel, as it were, I think our customers will listen very closely when we talk about guaranteed quality!"
"Isn't that a bit risky just to show off for customers? You could have put one to sleep and let the other stay away at the controls in case…"
"See? You don't have total confidence. If one pilot had been awake, it would have meant that we weren't completely sure about our systems."
"Right," Calmotte's eyes narrowed, showing just a trace of suspicion. "And the medical beds?"
"Oh those." The tall man paused to take a sip of coffee.
"To be perfectly honest, we were also analyzing air quality and C02 levels when passengers are asleep during a flight. So we needed everyone onboard to be asleep, to make sure the results were accurate."
Since they were talking new technologies and the future of aerospace, Calmotte quickly made the connection. Suddenly his face brightened and he too smiled.
"Preparations for space flight!" he exclaimed. "Artificially induced sleep for long voyages. That's what you were testing, isn't it?"
He got only a enigmatic grin in response.
"I had no idea that SAFRAN was working on projects like that," Calmotte enthused.
"The future is just a big open door. All we need to do is dare to stick our heads through…!"
Calmotte glanced out the window at the aerodynamic silhouette of the Falcon. It gleamed in the humidity from the salt spray, just a dozen meters under the control tower.
"This is like some science fiction movie," he murmured to no one in particular.
"But it's quite real. The alliance of expertise from Sagem and Snecma that resulted in SAFRAN created a tremendous storehouse of potential. Just imagine—engines, drones, security, hydraulic circuits, braking systems, remote monitoring and control—and the list goes on. SAFRAN is a leader in all these fields. Better still, we're a precursor, an instigator, I suppose you could say a sort of medium. Some people call it science fiction. We just call it projects, research, and when all is said and done, success."

Calmotte listened to the man's warm, enthusiastic voice.
A future he had only imagined seemed reassuring and tangible. And isn't that what science is really all about, making the future palpable?
An hour later, the Falcon took off, its flashing lights visible for long minutes as it disappeared in the distance.
Then the helicopter revved up to depart. Franck Calmotte said goodbye to the three visitors, shaking hands with the tall, gray-haired man a moment longer than the others.
"Thank you for giving me a chance to share a little part of a dream!" he shouted above the noise of the engines.
The man simply shrugged. "We're going in the same direction, it was my pleasure."
Calmotte wasn't ready to let go of his hand, adding: "I've got to admit I was very, very impressed by your plane."
Before he closed the door, the man smiled at Calmotte, and over the roar of the engines replied: "You ain't seen nothin' yet!"
Then the helicopter pulled away from the ground and climbed skyward, leaving Calmotte with his head and thoughts lost in the stars, dreaming the dreams of kids of all ages.
Science fiction … the future … and limitless possibilities.

FIN