Aircraft

EADS has finalised its deal with German advanced trainer manufacturer Grob Aerospace for 18 G-120A piston trainers as part of its training contract for the French armed forces.

EADS Socata will act as prime contractor in a deal to supply the French military’s logistics and training arm SIMAD with a 10-year training, support and maintenance contract. In the deal, EADS Socata procures EADS and other manufacturers' aircraft for the French joint armed services flight school in Cognac. Today's contract was officially signed with EADS Military Air Systems France.

Grob says it will provide a spare parts package and a long-term support agreement. The French air force will use the aircraft for ab initio pilot training. Grob says the decision to opt for the G-120 "was swayed in the main by the cost effectiveness of this training aircraft". The G-120 is an aerobatic, instrument flight rules composite trainer with a 260shp (194kW) Lycoming engine that enlarges the training syllabus.

The first aircraft will be delivered at the start of 2007, followed by two aircraft every month. The aircraft will be equipped to French military specification, which will be certificated by the European Aviation Safety Agency civil certification.