French Air Force EADS Socata TB 30 trainer fleet passes 500,000 flight hours Mark
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 EADS Socata 2006 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.
Media contacts:
Philippe de Segovia
International
Tel.: +33 (0)670 21 70 47
www.socata.eads.net
Karelle Michel Americas
Tel.: (954) 893-1412
www.socata.eads.net
EADS Socata TB 30 program milestones
September 1978: official announcement of launch of Epsilon program by Aerospatiale at the Farnborough Airshow; its subsidiary Socata is chosen as program supervisor.
December 22, 1979: 1 st prototype flight made by Socata chief pilot Marc Yoh. Following the flight, alterations were made, especially to the fin surface area. December 31, 1980: 1 st flight of modified Epsilon no. 1.
January 1981: beginning of qualification of TB30 Epsilon at Flight Test Center as a trainer aircraft.
March 5, 1982: the Aeronautics Program Technical Department (STPA) places an order for 150 TB 30 Epsilons. Socata is hired to build the aircraft.
June 14, 1983: the first series TB 30 comes off the Tarbes assembly line.
July 23, 1983: acknowledgment of the aircraft by the Mont de Marsan Military Aerial Experimentation Center, which conducts the aircraft's operational evaluation before its introduction in the Air Force Schools.
May 1984: the GE 315 in Cognac starts to receive its first Epsilons, at a rate of three per month.
An armed version is developed to carry various loads, including containers for two AA52 machine guns, practice bombs, 50- and 125-kg bombs, and rocket launchers.
June 1984: African demonstration tour of the TB 30 Epsilon. Four TB 30, armed version, were ordered by the Togolese Armed Forces that same year.
1987: the Portuguese Air Force orders 18 Epsilons in the trainer-aircraft version. January 1989: 1 st Portuguese aircraft delivered to FAT, the 17 others are assembled under license by OGMA.
December 15, 1989: last series TB 30 Epsilon comes off the assembly line.
EADS Socata TB 30 key figures
| Engine: | Lycoming AEIO 540 L1B5D, 300 HP, injection | |
| With Christen lubrication system for inverted flight | ||
| Propeller: | two-blade Hartzell HC-C2YR-4 | |
| Servicing ceiling: | 6,900 m | 23,000 ft |
| stalling speed in landing configuration: |
117 km/h | 63 KIAS |
| Maximum speed in level flight: | 380 km/h | 205 KIAS |
| Limiting load factors | + 6.7 g/ - 3.35 g | |
| Wing loading | 139 kg/m2 | 28.4 lb/sq.ft |
| Maximum takeoff weight: | 1,265 kg | 2,800 lbs |
| Maximum range: | 1,295 km | 700 Nm |
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