The ''Escadron de transport, d'entraînement et de calibration'' 00.065 (ETEC 65, "Transportation, training and calibration squadron") is a unit of the
French Air and Space Force
The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Ar ...
, under direct command of the
Minister of Defence
A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in som ...
, in charge of the transportation of the
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
, the
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...
and other French government officials.
History
In July 1945, the GAEL (groupe aérien d'entraînement et de liaison) was created. It was first based at
Le Bourget Airport, then relocated to the
Villacoublay Air Base.
In 1969, the GAEL was split in two units, then in 1984 in three units.
In 1991, the three units were merged again into the l'ETEC 00.065 (escadron de transport, d'entraînement et de calibration), which was still called "GAEL".
In July 1995, the French president
Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac (, , ; 29 November 193226 September 2019) was a Politics of France, French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. Chirac was previously Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to ...
decided to dissolve the Groupe de Liaisons Aériennes Ministérielles (GLAM). The GLAM's aircraft were transferred to the ETEC.
Aircraft
The ETEC uses
* 1 Airbus
Airbus A330-200
The Airbus A330 is a wide-body aircraft developed and produced by Airbus.
Airbus conceived several derivatives of the A300, its first airliner in the mid-1970s. Then the company began development on the A330 twinjet in parallel with the A340 ...
, Registration: F-RARF
* 2
Dassault Falcon 7X
The Dassault Falcon 7X is a large-cabin, range business jet manufactured by Dassault Aviation, the second largest of its Dassault Falcon line. Launched at 2001 Paris Air Show, its first flight was on 5 May 2005 and it entered service on 15 Ju ...
* 2 Falcon 900 (soon to be replaced),
*
Falcon 2000LX
* 7
Socata TBM 700,
* 3
Eurocopter Super Puma
The Airbus Helicopters H215 (formerly Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma) is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-size utility helicopter developed and initially produced by the French aerospace company Aérospatiale. It has been subsequently manufactu ...
helicopters (VIP-configured).
In 2003, the ETEC provided 673 flight hours for the President, 516 for the Prime Minister, 602 for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and 318 for the Ministry of Defence. A flight hour typically costs:
* €4050 for an Airbus,
* €5750 for a Falcon 900 and
* €4090 for a Falcon 50.
Flight are identified as "COTAM 0xy", with the
callsign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assi ...
"
COTAM 001
Cotam Unité is used as the air traffic control call sign of any French Air Force aircraft carrying the President of France. From the 1960s to 1994, COTAM was the acronym for the French Air Force's Military Air Transport Command (Commandement du ...
" ("
COTAM Unité") being reserved for the President and "COTAM 002" for foreign presidents.
File:A319CJ.jpg, Airbus A319
File:Falcon50etec.jpg, Dassault Falcon 50
File:Falcon900.jpg, Dassault Falcon 900
File:ABP - Socata TBM 700 - french army (32225711313).jpg, Socata TBM 700
File:Dassault Falcon 7X, France - Air Force JP7004045.jpg, Dassault Falcon 7X
File:Visite sarko janv 09 saint lo 15.JPG, Eurocopter AS332
See also
*
List of air transports of Heads of State and Government
*
List of French Air and Space Force aircraft squadrons
Many of the former and active Squadrons of the French Air and Space Force have direct lineage links to many of the "dissolved" squadrons. In addition, each Squadron has for military awards and decorations, and a Fanion (squadron standard).
The ...
References
Aerospace research institutes
Military research of France
French Air and Space Force squadrons
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