First New Training Aircraft Arrived at the French Air Force Flight Training School

, COGNAC: The first new Grob 120A training aircraft has arrived at the French Air Force Flight Training School on the Cognac Air Base. This event marks an important step in the EADS programme which aims at the modernisation of the ab initio pilot training for the French Air Force (FAF). 
 
Grob Aerospace, a supplier to EADS within this programme, will deliver a total of 18 Grob 120A by the end of this year. Among the numerous guests of a ceremony heralding the arrival of the first training aircraft were the French Air Force Chief of Staff, General Stéphane Abrial, and Johann Heitzmann, CEO of Military Air Systems at EADS Defence & Security (DS). 
 
The overall programme is based on a contract from the French Ministry of Defence with EADS´ unit Military Air Systems and Socata. Besides the supply of new training aircraft it includes the procurement of line and base aircraft maintenance and ground-based training devices – such as flight simulators and integrated logistics support, with supply chain management plus infrastructure handling. 
 
In order to meet these requirements, EADS has transferred the contract and its management to a dedicated subsidiary in Cognac: the EADS Cognac Aviation Training Services (ECATS), located directly at the air base in Cognac. The contract was concluded on 19 April 2006 and covers a timeframe of five years with options for five possible yearly extensions up to 10 years. 
 
The Grob 120A is a cost-effective and versatile light aircraft, specifically adapted to the needs of the FAF. It is entirely manufactured from carbon fibre composites and designed with a twin-seat, side-by-side cockpit and retractable undercarriage. Furthermore, it is powered by a 260 horsepower Lycoming piston engine and is certified for aerobatics and for flying under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). The Grob 120A therefore provides the ideal platform to tackle the full spectrum of primary training requirements for future military pilots. 
 
Currently, the FAF trains its pilots with TB 30 Epsilon aircraft. At the end of the deployment process, the training fleet will consist of 26 upgraded TB 30 Epsilons combined with the additional 18 Grob 120As. This flexible service, which guarantees a minimum volume of 15,000 flight hours, is charged per flight hour. Additionally, the high potential for further development of the means allows the offered service activity to be extended up to 32,000 hours. 
 
Johann Heitzmann, CEO of Military Air Systems at EADS, stated: “The close cooperation between the FAF and EADS is a tremendous example of the potential of those partnerships. This unique model, which is being used by the French Armed Forces for the very first time, could be a blueprint for the future transformation processes of European services.” 
 
Julien Porcher, Head of ECATS, added: “Our ECATS programme in Cognac will strengthen the efficiency of the flying training of future French military pilots by significantly improving the availability of the fleet while decreasing the cost of ab initio training. The arrival of the first Grob 120A is an important milestone towards achieving these goals. ECATS and its personnel have proven that they operate efficiently to deliver daily satisfaction to our customer.”  
 
Military Air Systems (MAS), an integrated part of the EADS Defence & Security Division (DS), is the centre of competence for all manned and unmanned flying weapon systems within EADS. In 2006, DS – with around 23,000 employees – achieved revenues of EUR 5.9 billion. EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2006, EADS generated revenues of EUR 39.4 billion and employs a workforce of about 116,800. 
 
Grob Aerospace is one of the world’s largest composite aircraft manufacturers. Its training aircraft are used in renowned military flying academies such as those of the Royal Air Force, the German Air Force, the United Arab Emirates Air Force and also the Israeli Air Force and the Canadian Air Force.