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Aviation History
1998
1998 - 3208.PDF
School changes course The sole EPNER Puma will re-enter service with flexible displays GERT KROMHOUT/ISTRES BASED AT Istres airbase in the south of France, the French Flight Test School EPXER (Ecole des Personnel Navigant d'Essais et de Reception) is one of the few- such governmental flight test schools in the world. Today, the school, one of France's best known aeronautical institutions, is having to adapt to tlie increasingly international character ofaerospace. The school is open to military and civilian students and is part of the Centre d'Essais en Vol (CEV), the national aerospace research estab lishment that reports to the Systems Evaluation and Test Directorate (DCE-Direction des Centres d'Expertiseetd'Essais), itself part of the DGA (Ministry of Defence). The dual role brings important advantages, according to EPNER deputy director Jacques Dumoulin. "Our instructors come from the CEV, so they are familiar with the latest technology," he says. "Additionally, because the stu dents use the CEVs facilities, they become familiar with the newest test systems and can use its varied fleet of test aircraft," he adds. Based in the south of France, near Marseilles, Istres is the principal French flight test base and as such has the most modern flight test equipment available. Apart from good weather conditions and a 5,000m (16,400ft) runway, it has at its disposal a wide range of facil ities such as simulators, large scale instrument ed test ranges, a telemetry receiving centre, a dedicated flight test control centre - capable of handling three tests with up to 15 aircraft simul taneously- and a tracking centre. RANGE OF COURSES It also has access to other CEV facilities located in Bretigny and Cazaux, including an aero- medical research centre, systems to measure radar and infrared signatures, and much more. The yearly 10-month experimental flight test course at Istres is open for rotary and fixed-wing pilots, flight test engineers and specialists and air traffic controllers, the latter category being added just two years ago. There is also an instru- mentflight rules (IFR) flight test course, but this is open only to experienced French helicopter and fixed-wing pilots, because of specific IFR regulations in France. For fixed-wing pilots who do not need to take the full course, a short er, six month-long light aircraft flight test course is available. A new fixed and rotary wing course begins in 1999, when the EPXER sets up a non-experi mental flight test course - lasting five months - for pilots, flight test mechanics and specialists. "With this new course, we can better meet industry requirements," says EPNER director Lt Col Bertrand Zundel. "In France, we have two categories of flight test: class A is for all types of tests; class B is for tests in aircraft where the flight envelope is opened already. For instance, when a new radar has been installed, we modify testbed aircraft in class A. Testing the radar itself comes later as a class B test. This is a unique course not taught in other schools," he says. The minimum requirement for student pilots is 1,200-1,400 flight hours. "We recom mend that foreign authorities check the candi date's abilities first. A pilot must not be too old because the course is very demanding. They have to work on the ground, fly and then assess the flight. Older pilots may be rusty and have 46 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 2 - 8 December 1998
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