The French Air Force flight training organization, based in Cognac, celebrates its core aircraft just as France’s military Training Command is outsourcing the fleet management and support
Cognac, 20
September
2006
Cognac-based French Air Force flight training Unit celebrated the passage of the symbolic threshold of 500,000 hours flown for its fleet of EADS Socata TB 30 Epsilons, during a ceremony presided by Pierre Niclot, head of the French Air Force Training command, while Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Vittini took over command of the school, replacing Lieutenant-Colonel Hubert Crépin.
"Called a "little fighter jet" by its crews because of its performance, behavior, and a flight envelope that allows all sorts of aerial acrobatics, the TB 30 satisfied the initial specifications: for learning to fly fighter jets or military transport aircraft. Half a million hours flown in barely 22 years of service, and more than 3,000 students trained. These figures summarize the basic success of this aircraft: which the training tool that supply the French Armed Forces with quality crews," said Stéphane Mayer, Chairman & CEO of EADS Socata, in a speech.
Introduced in the school for the first time in May 1984, the TB 30 quickly became the linchpin of the Cognac school, which selects and mainly provides basic training for aircraft pilots and navigators for the Armed Forces of France and a few foreign countries.
Its history dates back to the late 1970's when Socata was selected to design and to manufacture the light two-seat trainer that could meet the specifications of the French Air Force Epsilon program, intended to replace the Fouga CM 170 Magister twin engine jet. Since the former was becoming too costly to operate, the new aircraft had to reproduce the characteristics of a heavy aircraft (high wing loading, high approach speed, maneuverability), have a broad flight envelope, and have operating costs that are much lower than the Fouga - hence the choice of a single piston-engine airplane.
The TB 30 prototype completed its maiden flight in December 1979. After a few alterations and an intensive test campaign, the aircraft was ordered in series. Aside from the three prototypes, 172 TB 30's were to be built between 1983 and 1989, including 150 for the French Air Force, 18 for the Portuguese Air Force, and 4 for the Togolese Air Force.
In April of this year, EADS won the contract for management and support of the aircraft fleet, on and off aircraft maintenance, flight simulators, ground instruction, integrated logistical support and infrastructure development. It will be performed by EADS Socata and EADS Military Air Systems. This 10-year multiservice contract includes the delivery of TB 30 Epsilons from the existing fleet, and new Grob 120A's. Flexibility, and the high-potential for evolution of training requirements within the MoD means that the hours flown under this contract may vary between 15,000 and 32,000 flying hours. The services provided by EADS are remunerated based on the flight hours flown, with a minimum quantity of 15,000 flying hours guaranteed by the MoD. The maximum value of the contract is 175 million Euros.
The project constitutes the first comprehensive outsourced service solution initiated by the French Armed Forces.
EADS Socata is one of the world's leading general aviation manufacturers, with more than 6,000 aircraft flying in 65 countries. It is the heir to the company Morane Sauliner, founded in 1911 and which built, among other planes, the MS 760 Paris – the first business jet in the world. Today, EADS Socata makes the TBM 700/850 turboprop business aircraft family and the TB GT piston-engine trainer aircraft line, and it provides international support for its aircraft. It also produces aerostructures for the Airbus line (in particular the new A380 and the military transport aircraft A400M), the Falcon 7X by Dassault, the Eurocopter helicopters and the Embraer jets. The company is based in Tarbes, France, with a North American facility in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. The EADS Group includes the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the world's largest helicopter supplier Eurocopter and the joint venture MBDA, the leading international missile producer in the global market. EADS is the major partner in the Eurofighter consortium, is the prime contractor for the Ariane launcher, develops the A400M military transport aircraft and is the largest industrial partner for the European satellite navigation system Galileo.
