The Groupe Latécoère () is an aircraft company based in

Toulouse Toulouse (, ; ; ) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department and of the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania region. The city is on the banks of the Garonne, River Garonne, from ...

, France. Founded by the

aeronautics Aeronautics is the science or art involved with the study, design process, design, and manufacturing of air flight-capable machines, and the techniques of operating aircraft and rockets within the atmosphere. While the term originally referred ...

pioneer Pierre-Georges Latécoère during 1917, the company became well known in its first few decades for its range of

seaplane A seaplane is a powered fixed-wing aircraft capable of takeoff, taking off and water landing, landing (alighting) on water.Gunston, "The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary", 2009. Seaplanes are usually divided into two categories based on their tech ...

s, such as the six-engined Latécoère 631. Presently, Groupe Latécoère operates as a major supplier of aerostructures, producing sections of fuselage and doors, having become the second-largest European supplier of onboard electrical wire harnesses and

avionics Avionics (a portmanteau of ''aviation'' and ''electronics'') are the Electronics, electronic systems used on aircraft. Avionic systems include communications, Air navigation, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems, and the ...

bays through its ''Latelec''

subsidiary A subsidiary, subsidiary company, or daughter company is a company (law), company completely or partially owned or controlled by another company, called the parent company or holding company, which has legal and financial control over the subsidia ...

company. It is currently a member of the CAC Small and participates in all segments of aeronautics: commercial

airliner An airliner is a type of airplane for transporting passengers and air cargo. Such aircraft are most often operated by airlines. The modern and most common variant of the airliner is a long, tube shaped, and jet powered aircraft. The largest ...

s with

Airbus Airbus SE ( ; ; ; ) is a Pan-European aerospace corporation. The company's primary business is the design and manufacturing of commercial aircraft but it also has separate Airbus Defence and Space, defence and space and Airbus Helicopters, he ...

and

Boeing The Boeing Company, or simply Boeing (), is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support s ...

regional aircraft A regional airliner, commuter airliner or feeder liner is a small airliner that is designed to fly up to 100 passengers on short-haul flights, usually feeding larger carriers' airline hubs from small markets. This class of airliners is typically ...

with Embraer and Bombardier,

business aircraft Business aircraft are aircraft typically used by companies and corporations to transport people or goods related to the needs of said businesses. Most business aircraft are general aviation aircraft variants of piston or turboprop or busin ...

with

Dassault Aviation Dassault Aviation SA () is a French Aerospace manufacturer, manufacturer of military aircraft and business jets. It was founded in 1929 by Marcel Dassault, Marcel Bloch as Société des Avions Marcel Bloch (Marcel Bloch Aircraft Company). After ...

, as well as military aircraft with Dassault and Airbus.

History

The company has its roots in the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

; during September 1917,

pioneer Pierre-Georges Latécoère decided to invest in a series of factories in

. The business initially focused on the production of military material, such as

shell Shell may refer to: Architecture and design * Shell (structure), a thin structure ** Concrete shell, a thin shell of concrete, usually with no interior columns or exterior buttresses Science Biology * Seashell, a hard outer layer of a marine ani ...

s and aircraft. It reportedly delivered roughly 800 aircraft to the

French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...

. Following the end of the conflict, Latécoère engaged in the design and manufacture of numerous

s. Perhaps the most significant of these was the six-engined Latécoère 631, a large passenger aircraft designed for transatlantic journeys. Billed as being ''The Ship of the Skies'', the 631 performed its

maiden flight The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets. In the early days of aviation it could be dange ...

during 1939; a total of 10 aircraft were completed. It was the largest production seaplane to ever be built, having a wingspan roughly one-third larger than the

Short Sunderland The Short S.25 Sunderland is a British flying boat Maritime patrol aircraft, patrol bomber, developed and constructed by Short Brothers for the Royal Air Force (RAF). The aircraft took its service name from the town (latterly, city) and port of ...

, another contemporary large seaplane. The type was performing regular passenger services up until September 1955. By the turn of the century, Groupe Latécoère was principally known for the manufacture of aircraft equipment and aerostructures production. In the equipment sector, it is a leading manufacturer of avionics bays, onboard electrical harnesses, and

closed-circuit television Closed-circuit television (CCTV), also known as video surveillance, is the use of closed-circuit television cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place on a limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television in that the signa ...

(CCTV) systems. Aerostructure work includes the production of fuselage sections, including both passenger and cargo doors, as a

subcontractor A subcontractor is a person or business which undertakes to perform part or all of the obligations of another's contract, and a subcontract is a contract which assigns part of an existing contract to a subcontractor. A general contractor, prime ...

to multiple aircraft manufacturers, such as

, Bombardier Aerospace and Embraer. Furthermore, Groupe Latécoère provides design and engineering services for select clients. In addition to the firm's primary base in France, it operates at locations throughout the world, including the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

, the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

, the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

Tunisia Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

and

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

. Latecoere SA operates through a number of

businesses, including

Letov Kbely Letov is an aircraft company located in Letňany district of Prague, Czech Republic. It is the oldest aircraft company in the region. History Letov was founded in 1918 by the Czechoslovak Ministry of Defense to repair World War I trophy planes ...

, Latecoere do Brasil, and ''LaTelec'', among others. During the early 2010s, there were rumours that the British industrial conglomerate GKN would potentially acquire Groupe Latécoère. In early 2015, as a consequence of the company's high debt ratio, the firm restructured its operations, resulting in a significant drop in debt levels via an equity exchange, opening itself up to greater foreign ownership in the process. By September 2017, the company's financial situation had improved to such an extent that it was reportedly once again looking to expand its aerospace portfolio via acquisitions. That same year, it also committed to the establishment of a new company headquarters. In early April 2019, it was announced that

private equity Private equity (PE) is stock in a private company that does not offer stock to the general public; instead it is offered to specialized investment funds and limited partnerships that take an active role in the management and structuring of the co ...

firm Searchlight Capital had agreed to purchase a 26 percent stake in Groupe Latécoère in exchange for $106.8 million. By December 2019, the buying of additional shares had given Searchlight a controlling stake in the firm; this generated some political controversy over the firm's now-foreign ownership.

Aircraft products

* Latécoère 1* (1918) Two-seat fighter; designation may have also been used for license-built Breguet 14s. * Latécoère 2 (1918) Salmson 2s built under license. * Latécoère 3 (1919) Two-seat, single-engine prototype transport and postal biplane. * Latécoère 4 (1920) 15-passenger, three-engine prototype passenger biplane. * Latécoère 5 (1924) Three-engine prototype bomber biplane developed from the Latécoère 4. * Latécoère 6 (1924) Four-engine bomber biplane. * Latécoère 7* (1922) High-wing monoplane bomber. * Latécoère 8 (1922) Five-passenger, single-engine biplane airliner. * Latécoère 9* (1922) Four-engine biplane. * Latécoère 10* (1922) Four-engine monoplane. * Latécoère 11* (1922) Three-engine transport/COIN aircraft * Latécoère 12* (1922) Single-engine transport/COIN aircraft. * Latécoère 13* (1922) Twin-engine airliner. * Latécoère XIV (1923) High-wing, cantilever monoplane. * Latécoère 14 (1924) Three-passenger, parasol-wing, single-engine airliner. * Latécoère 15 (1924) Six-passenger, twin-engine monoplane airliner. * Latécoère 15M (1924) twin-engine transport seaplane, converted from a Latécoère 15. * Latécoère 16 (1924) Four-passenger, single engine airliner developed from the Latécoère 14. * Latécoère 17 (1924) Four-passenger, single engine monoplane airliner. * Latécoère 18 Twin-engine biplane transport flying boat * Latécoère 19 (1925) Twin-engine prototype monoplane bomber developed from the Latécoère 15. * Latécoère 20* (1926) Air ambulance derivative of the Latécoère 19. * Latécoère 21 (1926) Six-passenger, twin-engine monoplane flying boat airliner. * Latécoère 22 (1927) Single-seat, single-engine mailplane. * Latécoère 23 (1927) Eight-passenger, twin-engine monoplane flying boat transport developed from the Latécoère 21. * Latécoère 24 (1927) Three-engine parasol-wing monoplane flying boat, intended as a transatlantic mailplane. * Latécoère 25 (1926) Five-passenger, single-engine airliner. * Latécoère 26 (1926) Single-engine mailplane. * Latécoère 27* (1927) Unbuilt improved version of the Latécoère 24. *

Latécoère 28 The Latécoère 28 was a long distance monoplane aircraft designed and produced by the French aircraft manufacturer Groupe Latécoère, Latécoère. First flown in 1927, it had a fixed tailwheel landing gear, undercarriage and an enclosed cockpit ...

(1927) Eight-passenger, single engine long-haul monoplane airliner and mailplane developed from the Latécoère 26. * Latécoère 29 (I)* Three-engine flying boat * Latécoère 29 (II) (1930) Torpedo-bomber version of the Latécoère 28. * Latécoère 30* Three-engine flying boat. * Latécoère 32 (1928) Four-passenger, twin-engine monoplane flying boat airliner and mailplane developed from the Latécoère 23. * Latécoère 101* (1940) Four-engine push-pull flying boat. * Latécoère 124* (1945) Version of Latécoère 101 with four single engines. * Latécoère 130* Derivative of the Latécoère 631. * Latécoère 140* (1945) Four-engine airliner with Latécoère 631 wing. * Latécoère 150* (1943-1948) Four-engine transatlantic flying boat. * Latécoère 160* (1945) 52-passenger, four-engine transatlantic airliner with Latécoère 631 wing; landplane derivative of the Latécoère 150. * Latécoère 170* (1945) Six-engine reconnaissance flying boat. * Latécoère 180* Eight-engine development of the Latécoère 170. * Latécoère 190* * Latécoère 200* * Latécoère 210* Six-engine airliner. * Latécoère 220* * Latecoere 225 (1984) Single-seat microlight amphibian * Latécoère 255* * Latécoère 270* * Latécoère 290 (1931) Single-engine floatplane torpedo bomber. * Latécoère 291* Derivative of the 290. * Latécoère 292* Strengthened, reduced span version of 291. * Latécoère 292/2* As 292 but with full-span 290 wings. * Latécoère 293 (1932-1933) Torpedo floatplane. * Latécoère 294 Torpedo floatplane, began as a converted 292. * Latécoère 295* As 291, but with full-span 290 wings. * Latécoère 296 (1937) Torpedo floatplane, 294 wings with 294 rear fuselage. * Latécoère 297* Lightweight version of the 296. * Latécoère 298 (1936) Single-engine floatplane torpedo and dive bomber, successor to the 29. * Latécoère 299 (1939) Landplane reconnaissance-torpedo bomber version of the Latécoère 298. * Latécoère 300 (1931) Four-engine flying boat mailplane. * Latécoère 301 (1934-1935) Version of the Latécoère 300 for Air France. * Latécoère 302 (1936) Maritime reconnaissance version of the Latécoère 300 * Latécoère 310* Single-engine biplane seaplane * Latécoère 330* Three-engine flying boat. * Latécoère 340 (1930) Five-passenger, three-engine medium range flying boat airliner. * Latécoère 350 (1931) Ten-passenger, three-engine airliner developed from the Latécoère 28. * Latécoère 360* (1930) High-wing trimotor transport. * Latécoère 370* (1930) Enlarged version of the Latécoère 350. * Latécoère 380 (1930) Twin-engine long-range flying boat mailplane. * Latécoère 381 (1934) Maritime patrol version of the Latécoère 380. * Latécoère 382* * Latécoère 383* * Latécoère 384* * Latécoère 385* * Latécoère 386* * Latécoère 410* (1929) Single-engine reconnaissance flying boat. * Latécoère 420* (1929) Four-engine reconnaissance flying boat. * Latécoère 430* (1930s) Four-engine sesquiplane torpedo bomber seaplane. * Latécoère 440 (1931) Single-engine floatplane coastal defense aircraft developed from the Latécoère 28. * Latécoère 441* Version with Gnome-Rhone 14Kbr engine. * Latécoère 442* Light bomber floatplane. * Latécoère 443* Light bomber landplane, basically a 442 with landing wheels. * Latécoère 460* (1931) Three-engine transport. * Latécoère 470* (1930) Single-engine, low-wing touring aircraft. * Latécoère 480* (1930) Twin-boom, four-engine airliner. * Latécoère 490 (1931) Single-engine, two-seat prototype reconnaissance monoplane. * Latécoère 491 (1932) Second prototype of the Latécoère 490, slightly longer but lighter. * Latécoère 492* Version with glazed gunner's enclosure. * Latécoère 493* Version with a supercharged Hispano-Suiza 12X engine. * Latécoère 500 (1930) Twin-engine long-range flying boat mailplane. * Latécoère 501 (1932) Airliner version of the Latécoère 500. * Latécoère 510* (1929) Single-engine, high-wing monoplane fighter. * Latécoère 520* (1930-1933) Initial design of the Latécoère 521. * Latécoère 521 (1935) 30 to 72-passenger, six-engine large long-range flying boat airliner, militarized during WWII. * Latécoère 522 (1939) Passenger flying boat, militarized during WWII. * Latécoère 523 (1938) Maritime patrol version of the Latécoère 521. * Latécoère 524* (1936) Eight-engine version. * Latécoère 525* (1936) Eight-engine version. * Latécoère 530* (1930) Four-engine, high-wing monoplane bomber. * Latécoère 531* Floatplane version of the Latécoère 530. * Latécoère 550 Four-engine floatplane torpedo bomber. * Latécoère 560* (1932) Four-engine flying boat. * Latécoère 570* (1932) Four-engine flying boat. * Latécoère 570 (1939) Twin-engine prototype medium bomber. * Latécoère 580* (1934) Three-engine parasol monoplane flying boat. * Latécoère 581* Development of Latécoère 581, became the Latécoère 582. * Latécoère 582 (1935) Three-engine long-range flying boat patrol aircraft. * Latécoère 590* (1934) Aircraft study * Latécoère 600* (1932-1933) Four-engine flying boat. * Latécoère 601* * Latécoère 602* * Latécoère 610* (1935) four-engine reconnaissance flying boat for the French Navy * Latécoère 611 (1940) Prototype four-engine maritime reconnaissance flying boat. * Latécoère 612* Version with Pratt & Whitney R-1830 engines. * Latécoère 613* Planned 611/612 variant. * Latécoère 614* Planned 611/612 variant. * Latécoère 615* Planned 611/612 variant. * Latécoère 616* Planned 611/612 variant. * Latécoère 617* Planned 611/612 variant. * Latécoère 620* (1936-1936) 20-passenger, four-engine North Atlantic flying boat. * Latécoère 630* (1936) Six-engine passenger flying boat, developed into the Latécoère 631. * Latécoère 631 (1937) 46-passenger, six-engine large long-range flying boat airliner * Latécoère 632* Planned 631 variant. * Latécoère 633* Planned 631 variant. * Latécoère 634* Planned 631 variant. * Latécoère 635* Planned 631 variant. * Latécoère 636* Planned 631 variant. * Latécoère 637* Planned 631 variant. * Latécoère 638* Planned 631 variant. * Latécoère 639* Planned 631 variant. * Latécoère 640* (1936) Six-engine long-range flying boat. * Latécoère 670* (1938) Low-wing fighter. * Latécoère 671* Gull-wing floatplane derivative of the Latécoère 670. * Latécoère 672* Floatplane derivative of the Latécoère 670 * Latécoère 673* Floatplane fighter derivative of the Latécoère 670. * Latécoère 675* (1938) Single-engine, low-wing fighter. * Latécoère 703* (1949) Twin-engine amphibian transport. * Latécoère 710 Derivative of Latécoère 631 with pressurized cabin and R-2800 engines. * Latécoère 730* (1950) Twin-engine high-wing transport. * Latécoère 740* Single-engine transport. * Latécoère 780* (1951) Twin-engine, low-wing jet transport. * Latécoère 790* (1951) Twin-engine, high-wing jet transport. * Latécoère 800* (1951) Three-engine, low-wing jetliner. * Latécoère 810* Seaplane jet trainer * Latécoère 820* Twin-engine COIN aircraft. * Latécoère 830* * Latécoère 850* * Latécoère 860* * Latécoère 870* * Latécoère 880* * Latécoère 900* (1940) Development of Latécoère 631 with eight tandem engines and 250 ton MTOW. ''aircraft marked * were projects only''

Missile products for the French Navy

* Malaface * Malafon

Current products

Airbus A330 The Airbus A330 is a wide-body airliner developed and produced by Airbus. Airbus began developing larger A300 derivatives in the mid–1970s, giving rise to the A330 twinjet as well as the Airbus A340 quadjet, and launched both designs along ...

A340 (mid-fuselage upper shell) * Airbus A340/500-600 (mid-fuselage upper shell and lower nose section) *

Airbus A380 The Airbus A380 is a very large wide-body airliner, developed and produced by Airbus until 2021. It is the world's largest passenger airliner and the only full-length double-deck jet airliner. Airbus studies started in 1988, and the pr ...

(passenger doors, bulk cargo doors and lower nose section) *

Airbus A320 The Airbus A320 family is a series of narrow-body airliners developed and produced by Airbus. The A320 was launched in March 1984, Maiden flight, first flew on 22 February 1987, and was introduced in April 1988 by Air France. The first membe ...

(passenger doors) *

Boeing 787 The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is an American wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. After dropping its unconventional Sonic Cruiser project, Boeing announced the conventional 7E7 on January 29, 2003, wh ...

(passenger doors) * Bombardier CRJ 700/900 (bulk cargo door) * Embraer ERJ 170/175/190/195 (passenger doors, emergency exit door and forward and aft fuselage barrel section) * Dassault Falcon 50 EX (Rear fuselage section) *

Dassault Falcon 7X The Dassault Falcon 7X is a large-cabin, range business jet manufactured by Dassault Aviation. Unveiled at the 2001 Paris Air Show, its first flight took place on 5 May 2005 and it entered service on 15 June 2007. The Falcon 8X, first delivered ...

(baggage door and rear fuselage section) * Dassault Falcon 900 B/EX (Rear fuselage section) * Boom Overture (electrical system)
Source

Current leadership

* Chairman of the Board of Directors: Thierry Mootz * CEO: André-Hubert Roussel

In popular culture

The name Latécoère is part of a "mystique" in France around the beginning of aviation and adventurers. It is part of a famous song by

Henri Salvador Henri Salvador (18 July 1917 – 13 February 2008) was a French Caribbean singer, comedian and cabaret artist. Biography Salvador was born in Cayenne, French Guiana. His father, Clovis, and his mother, Antonine Paterne, daughter of an Indigen ...

, "''Jardin d'Hiver''", in its 3rd verse : :"Je voudrais du Fred Astaire :Revoir un Latécoère :Je voudrais toujours te plaire :Dans mon jardin d'hiver" A possibly even more popular (and arguably very gross) reference is found in ''Lola Rastaquouère'', a song by

Serge Gainsbourg Serge Gainsbourg (; born Lucien Ginsburg; 2 April 1928 – 2 March 1991) was a French singer-songwriter, actor, composer, and director. Regarded as one of the most important figures in French pop, he was renowned for often provocative rel ...

, a famous and controversial French artist: :"Comment oses-tu me parler d'amour toi, hein :Toi qui n'as pas connu Lola Rastaquouère :Je lui faisais le plein comme au Latécoère :Qui décolle en vibrant vers les cieux africains" Latécoère is mentioned by name in the first sentence of Antoine de Saint Exupéry's famous autobiographical work, '' Wind, Sand, and Stars'', (1936) - from the English translation: "In 1926 I was enrolled as student airline pilot by the Latécoère Company, the predecessors of Aéropostale (now Air France) in the operation of the line between Toulouse, in southwestern France, and Dakar, in French West Africa."

References

External links

Company official website

Company official site

Profile
on Google Finance. {{Authority control Aerospace companies of France Aircraft manufacturers of France Manufacturing companies based in Toulouse French brands Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1917 French companies established in 1917 Companies listed on Euronext Paris