Cassidian Aviation Training Services (CATS) has received its first Cirrus aircraft to support its delivery of pilot instruction activities for the French air force, with the four-seat SR20 having been delivered to Salon-de-Provence air base earlier this month.

Announcing its selection by the EADS company on 23 August, Cirrus Aircraft said it handed over the first of 13 SR20s on 9 August (below), with seven more powerful SR22s to follow from September, for use during the training of air force navigators.

 SR20 CATS - Cirrus Aircraft

Cirrus Aircraft

Three more SR20s will be supplied under the sale, with these to support French navy training activities at Lanvéoc-Poulmic air base. Deliveries will run through the end of 2012.

All aircraft will be supplied fitted with Garmin Cirrus Perspective cockpit avionics, UHF radios and a Cirrus Airframe Parachute System, the airframer says. "CATS will be in charge of maintenance and airworthiness of all fleets," it adds.

CATS already supplies basic training services for the French air force using a company-owned fleet of 18 Grob G120s based at Cognac, and also manages the service's fleets of Embraer EMB-121 Xingu and Socata TB30 Epsilon trainers.

Source: Flight International