Newsletter

On 17 and 18 April the 5th edition of the“Toulouse Encounters” took place in Toulouse,on the ISAE Sup’Aéro campus*. This annualtraining cycle inaugurated in 2008 is aimed atengineers and executives already in activity inthe aerospace industry, who wish to updatetheir knowledge.

The training course, loosely inspired by theEntretiens de Bichat in the area of medicine,is based on the principle of debate betweenthe lecturer – a recognised expert in the topicbeing tackled – and the participants of theencounter who have previously received thetext of the presentation. Each 3-hourencounter thus contains a presentation of upto 45 to 50 min followed by discussion with theparticipants, lasting just over 2 hours.Discussion is led by a moderator, on thewhole not a specialist of the field in question,who ensures that all attendants get toparticipate and is ready to ask challengingquestions in order to maintain the high level ofthe discussion.

The participants to the Toulouse encounters,all registered beforehand, come from theaeronautics and space industry as well asresearch organisations, public agencies andstate bodies working in the area. The list ofthemes addressed during the Toulouse

Encounters is re-examined each year in closecooperation with French aerospace industriesassociation GIFAS, which has stronglysupported this initiative since its outset. Inorder to encourage as open discussions aspossible, without the fear of informationleaking, the encounters are not recorded andno proceedings are issued. For the samereason, members of the media are notallowed entry.

This system was inaugurated in 2008 underthe impulse of fellow members Jean Delacarteand Jacques Bouttes, whom I would like topay a warm tribute to here, with the highlyefficient support of our partner, Collège dePolytechnique, directed by Michel Rochet.From the 2011 edition on, fellow memberJean-Claude Hironde, former DeputyTechnical Director general at DassaultAviation, has taken up the baton in a verydynamic way. 2012 therefore marked the 5th

edition of these Toulouse Encounters whichattracted over 260 participants around thefollowing 10 topics (each topic giving rise tofour encounters): Structures design,Materials, Avionics, Modelling and systemsengineering, New engines and propulsion,Onboard energy, Aeronautics maintenance,Military domain, Civil aviation, R&D tools forcompetitiveness.

The success of the Toulouse Encountersformula owes much to the fact that it staysclose to the preoccupations of the aeronauticsand space industry. The latter’s needs interms of top-level human resources are great,not only in terms of recruitment of youngengineers but also in order to maintain itshuman potential at the highest level possible,a key to competitiveness both today and,even more so, tomorrow.

Editorial: “Entretiens de Toulouse” (Toulouse Encounters)Training through debate

Gérard BRACHETAcademy President

Air and SpaceAcademyNewsletter

No.78June 2012

International version Report of the monthSpanish aerospace p2

ViewpointBallistic MissileDefence p4

Forum New Aeronauticsmaterials p8

Contents

* “Institut supérieur de l’aéronautique et de l’espace”,French aerospace university

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Report of the month

Spain has a tradition in aeronautics reachingback to 1923 when the first aeronauticalcompany, CASA (Construcciones Aero-náuticas SA), was founded. It is one of the fewcountries that can develop complete aircraftsystems, particularly specialising in mediummilitary transport and mission aircraft, includingthe recent Multi Role Transport Tanker system,MRTT, on an A330 platform. The Spanishaerospace industry participates in all Europeanprogrammes (Airbus, Eurofighter, A400M,Tiger, NH-90, Arianespace) and has developedsuccessful space activities. Spain isrecognised as a world leader in somespecific areas: large primary structures incomposites, simulation, ATM, low pressureturbines, maintenance repair technologies andsatellite antennas to name a few.The Spanish aerospace industry hasdeveloped around the activities of CASA,integrated into EADS in 2000.AERONAUTICSEADS-CASA: Before joining EADS, CASAwas an early member of Airbus (together withAerospatiale and Deutsche Airbus Consortium,now all in EADS). During the 70s, CASAdeveloped its own military transport aircraft (C-212), a jet trainer (C-101) followed later onin the 80s by the CN-235 (developed jointlywith the Indonesian industry) and the C-295.Over 700 of these aircraft have been sold

around the world to mainly military operators(including the US Coast Guard) in differentconfigurations that include maritime patrolversion with mission systems developed by theSpanish industry.A supply chain has been developed around theactivities of EADS-CASA, rangingfrom electronic suppliers (Indra),engine manufacturers (ITP with aparticipation of Rolls Royce), structuralcomponent suppliers (Aernnova,Aciturri, Alestis) and firms like Sener.The participation of Spanish industryin the Airbus programmes started at4.2%, specialising in the horizontal tailplane (HTP) of the Airbus models. Aworld first was the introduction ofcomposite materials into the primarystructure of a civil aircraft of the size of theA320. Since then all the HTP of all Airbusmodels are in composite. The participation ofSpanish industry rose to 8% in the A380programme and will be close to 11% in the newA350. It is recognised worldwide thatcomposite materials technology and relatedmanufacturing processes developed by theSpanish industry are second to none.As far as the Eurofighter programme isconcerned, Spanish industry has a 13%participation, being responsible for somestructural parts of the aircraft as well as

managing the final assembly line forthe aircraft to be delivered to theSpanish Air Force.One important fact for Spanishindustry is its participation in theA400M programme with a 15% workshare that includes the final assemblyline and delivery centre for all aircraftlocated in Seville.Another important milestone for theSpanish aeronautics industry was thedevelopment of the Multi RoleTransport Tanker (MRTT) on an A330platform. The whole conversion of acivilian aircraft into a MRTT version

was developed, implemented and certified bythe Spanish industry including a totally new fly-by-wire boom system developed by CESA. Thesuccess of the A330MRTT has been unquestio-nable: it has won all contracts bid for, includingone for the USAF that was later cancelled.

Although the supply chain was in the pastprincipally a supplier to the former CASA, it hasevolved considerably in the last decade tobecome a supplier to other aircraftmanufacturers (Boeing, Embraer,Bombardier). Its structure is similar to the restof Europe: a few large companies followed bya greater number of medium size enterprisesand a host of SMEs. In Spain SMEs represent94% of the companies in the aerospace sector.Restructuring and consolidation of the supplychain was begun through partnerships andmergers in order to increase competitivenessand responds to the requirements of the primecontractors in a globalised market. Theconsolidation of the supply chain in Spain hasenabled three suppliers to be sharing risk, first-tier subcontractors of Airbus for the A350programme: Aernnova, Alestis and Aciturri.Industria de Turbo Propulsores (ITP), on theengine side, is the main Spanish industrial withRolls-Royce as a minority shareholder. ITPparticipates in all European programmes and isrecognized a world leader in low pressureturbines for jet engines. It participates in allengines that power all Airbus models. It hasalready delivered the first of the Trent XWB

AEROSPACE INDUSTRY INSPAIN

Antonio VIÑOLOFormer Senior VP Strategic Coordination at EADS,

AAE correspondent

Our tour of the European aerospace sector continues withthis article by Antonio Viñolo, who focuses on Spanishaerospace activities

First skins of the composite A350XWB wing

MRTT refuelling aircraft with boom developed in Spain

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turbines for the A350 with the start of thebench testing phase which is the beginningof experimental development leading to theengine certification.On the military side, ITP participates in theTP400 for the A400M aircraft with morethan 2,000 test flight hours carried on theITP test benches. For the Eurofighterprogramme, ITP is one of the partners forthe EJ200 engine. ITP is developing somemodifications to reduce the life-cycle costof the engine, but its main contribution isthe development of a vectorial thrust nozzlefor the EJ200 that represents a key element toimprove manoeuvrability, reduction of life cyclecost, reduction of aircraft loss in accidents, etc.ITP is also participating in the MTR390E thatpowers the Tiger HAD version where its testbenches are a key feature in the testingcampaign of this engine. Indra, on the simulation side, is leading thestate of the art with its distributed simulationsystems allowing large numbers of operatorsto train in remote locations while sharing thesame scenario in real time having obtained topratings from Spanish and European civilaviation authorities for the ATR-72 simulator inthis field. Indra supplies simulators to China(A320) and other countries and has becomeeligible for providing simulators to the US Army.Indra is also a world leader in air traffic controland flight plan management systems with 1200ATC installations. Indra’s systems are inoperation in 90 countries and control 40% ofthe worldwide air traffic.Iberia is the biggest Spanish company foraircraft maintenance activities, ranking 9th inthe world among maintenance centres withcertified capabilities and providing MRO workto more than 200 customers on top of the workperformed for its own fleet. It has developedunique technologies for blade repair.One activity related to aerospace is in thecapital goods area where MTorres is providingautomatic tape-laying and fibre-placementmachines to customers such as Boeing,Airbus, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, GKN andSpirit for the manufacturing of structuralcomponents in carbon fibre.SPACEThe space activities in Spain can be dividedinto two well differentiated periods: from theearly 60’s until 1986 under the organismCONIE of the Ministry of Defence, and from1986 until now, under CDTI (Centre for theTechnological Development of Industry), underthe aegis of successively the Ministry ofIndustry and the Ministry of Research. In bothperiods the activity was developed throughthree main axes: NASA tracking stations, the

National Space Programme and thecontribution to ESRO that became ESAafterwards. Two main aspects differentiate thetwo periods: the budget increase during thesecond period (ESA contribution wasincreased from 2.5 % to more than 5 %) andthe industrial scene, basically under threeactors (INTA, CASA and Sener) in the firstperiod which was drastically enlarged to manyother companies (Indra, CRISA, GMV, Deimos,Thales-Alenia, RYMSA, Mier, GTD,Iberespacio and NTE-Sener, among others).Spain is the only country in Europe to have somany actors in different areas relative to thesize of the allocated budget. The reasonbehind this is the weakness of the spaceindustrial policy.The National Programme was built around:sounding rockets until the late 70’s, andsatellites like INTASAT (1974), MINISAT (1997)and two new Earth Observation ones, the firstradar (2013) and the second optical (2014).INTA, a technological agency, forms part of theMinistry of Defence and is the main researchaerospace center in Spain: it specialises inVHF and S-band communications antennasbesides electrical ground segment. It was thecustomer of INTASAT, MINISAT and severalNANOSAT.EADS-CASA includes the activities of CASA-Espacio and CRISA. CASA-Espaciospecialises in launcher and satellite structures,including separation mechanisms, mainly incomposite materials, thermal control, telecomand Earth Observation passive and activeantennas, and was the prime contractor of:MINISAT, SMOS, and presently of the twoSpanish EO satellites. CRISA works in dataprocessing units and power conditioning anddistribution units.Sener specialises in mechanisms, deployableelements and guidance navigation and controlsystems.Indra provides telecom and EO groundsegments, as well as EO services.GMV was declared by ESA a centre of

excellence in orbital mechanics, and worksin: mission analysis, guidance navigationand control, on-board software, GNSStools and applications.Thales-Alenia develops on-board digitalelectronic equipment as well as active andpassive RF equipments.Deimos specialises in mission analysis,guidance navigation and control, on-boardsoftware and operates a small EO satellite,RYMSA delivers telecom satelliteantennas, Mier specialises in solid stateamplifiers, MMIC and RF equipment, GTD

is active in software for control centers,Iberespacio works in RAM analyses anddelivers heat pipes and NTE-Sener suppliessensors and control electronics particularly forbio-engineering systems.AIR TRANSPORTThe main airline in Spain is Iberia. It is amembre of the Oneworld alliance. Iberia hasmerged with British Airways to form theInternational Airline Group (IAG) which ranksfifth in the world by revenues and third inEurope. With 408 aircraft in its combined fleetIAG serves over 200 destinations worldwidecarryng over 58 million passengers per year.Iberia has recently created a new affiliate,Iberia Express, to compete in some domesticand European routes with low-cost carriers.Iberia is the only major carrier in the worldoperating an all Airbus fleet.Another Spanish airline is Air Europa, half thesize of Iberia in fleet size and mainly devotedto medium-range routes but serving a fewtransatlantic destinations. It is one of the firstairlines to have ordered the new A350.The aerospace industry in Spain ranks fifthin Europe by turnover and possesses richcentres of excellence and technologicalniches as outlined in the introduction.

The Aerospace industry in Spain (figures for 2010) The activity in Spain is concentrated mainlyin the Madrid region (54%) with importantpresence in Andalucia (28%), the BasqueRegion (10%) and in Castilla-La Mancha(4%).• Turnover: €6.6bn (50% civilian market,

50% defence market).• Direct employment: 40,500 and has

doubled since 2000.• R&T expenditure: close to 15% of

turnover.• Turnover distribution: aircraft & systems

69%, engines 11%, equipment 9%, space11%.

Satellite Ingenio for Earth observation, developed byCASA-ESPACIO

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Viewpoint

Over twenty countries currently deploy short-and medium-range ballistic missiles, a weaponused in a dozen conflicts, mainly as a palliativeto combat aviation. This potential threat is theobject of continuous technological improve-ments (solid propulsion, manoeuvrable trajecto-ries, terminal guidance…) aimed at improvingoperational capacities. On external theatres ofoperation, the mere threat of their use isenough to restrict all freedom of action.Missile defence: a driver for thedefence industryThe high level of performance required for theinterception of ballistic missiles and the asso-ciated time constraints – a major parameter –mean that the limits of industrial know-howneed constantly to be raised in the areas ofdetection and alert, pursuit, interception andreal-time management of the whole system.Investing in BMD thus contributes to acquiringmore sophisticated skills and generic technolo-gies in domains applicable to other defencesystems. In the U.S., studies were carried out into non-nuclear ABMs in the 1980s: a dedicated organi-sation was set up within the DoD – SDIO(Strategic Defense Initiative Organization), laterMDA (Missile Defense Agency) – and significantfunding allocated. Estimated at $10B/year, thisfunding continues to drive the American defenceindustry, enabling it not only to develop and fieldmaterials covering all functions of a completedefence system (from early warning to intercep-tion) but also to build up a significant lead in thetechnical fields involved.

The situation outside the U.S.Two other countries – Russia and Israel (the lat-ter with the financial and technological help ofAmerica) – have developed and deployed anti-ballistic capacities with mainly operational moti-vations. India’s ambition is to develop its owncapacities and China is also active in this area.In Europe, it has to be said that little has beendone in the way of BMD. Certain countries havebought Patriot interception systems from theU.S., others are looking to enhance their radarsin cooperation with the U.S. Only France hastaken the first step by, on the one hand, develo-ping early warning demonstrators (by satellitewith Spiral, or radar in the case of TLP) and sur-veillance demonstrators (radar M3R) and onthe other hand by putting into service the inter-ception system SAMP/T which uses the Aster30 Block 1 missile. In November 2011, this sys-tem succeeded in intercepting, by direct impact,a target representing a SCUD-type ballistic mis-sile, thus proving the effectiveness of a 100%European system produced in cooperation withItaly. NATO and the defence of EuropeUntil the Lisbon summit, NATO’s mission was limi-ted to protecting troops deployed outsideEuropean territory against theatre ballistic missiles(ALTBMD programme). During this summit thedecision was taken, under American pressure, toextend this mission to protect the European terri-tory. The system proposed would enhance thePAA (Phased Adaptive Approach) provided by theU.S. (deploying exo-atmospheric SM3 intercep-tion missiles) by the ALTBMD system.

Apart from the fact that the NATO countries willhave to fund the coupling in of the two systemsof command, national contributions to the sys-tem will also need to be made in terms of sen-sors and interception systems, since the U.S.cannot meet all needs to ensure global protec-tive cover, even if it is sometimes the only oneto possess the suitable operational systems.Whence the great temptation for Europeancountries to buy American systems off the shelf.Europe must preserve its indus-trial capacitiesGiven the need to fulfil our commitments toNATO, as well as the stakes attached to tech-nological sovereignty and commercial exports,Europe must organise itself to develop andcontribute complementary systems to theAmerican ones. France, which covers all BMDcompetencies through its industrials Astrium,MBDA, Thales and Safran, must give the lead.Protection against long-range ballistic missiles,designed to be equipped with nuclear charges,will remain in the area of deterrence; effortsmust therefore be concentrated on early war-ning and theatre high-altitude intercept defencesystems, making the most of existing extendedair defense systems and ongoing Europeancooperations. This is why MBDA, Thales andSafran are putting forward enhancements tothe Aster family systems – SAMP/T andPAAMS (Principal Anti Air Missile System) –using a new missile intercepting in the medium-high atmosphere (Aster Block 2), which is com-plementary both with THAAD and SM3 sys-tems. It is now urgent to act in order to prevent theEuropean missile industry from experien-cing the same problems as the combat avia-tion industry with the JSF: a drying up ofEuropean development budgets in favour ofAmerican technology.

Ballistic Missile DefenceA political issue with high industrial stakes

Jean-François GONDETFormer Director for Advanced Studies at Matra

Defense, AAE Correspondent

November 2011: interception of a ballistic missile bydirect impact of Aster 30 Block 1

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Focus on ...

When discussing the “criminalisation” of airaccidents or catastrophes, one immediatelythinks of penal investigations, large-scale trialswhich can take place five, ten or fifteen yearsafter the accident, and their articulation withthe safety enquiry (carried out, in France, bythe BEA). Fortunately, victims or their familiesdo not have to wait so long for compensation,since it tends to follow other circuits not directlylinked to inquiries into causes andresponsibilities.In terms of public passenger transport, thecarrier has strict liability, so the airline isobliged to compensate its passengers, or theirdependent right-holders, whatever the causesof the accident. Written into international lawsince the Warsaw (1929), then Montreal (1999)conventions, this principle thus frees victimsfrom having to wait for the outcome of inquirieswhich are known to be long. The flip-side ofthis almost automatic compensation is its level:the carrier can obtain the application of anupper limit of 113,000 SDR (approximately130,000 euros)*, if they can prove they werenot guilty of negligence.The Montreal Convention also compels aircarriers to carry insurance. Thus, in practice,when an incident or an accident occurs,insurers contact victims or their families to offeramicable payment of compensation, wellaware that their insured party will not be able toavoid this, whatever the outcome. This does not prevent the carrier and theirinsurer from turning on other possiblyresponsible parties, whose involvement mightemerge in the light of the investigation, forexample in the case of an aircraft or systemsfailure, or a weakness in the airport or airnavigation services, etc. But this will onlyenable them to obtain reimbursement, total orpartial, of the sums already paid topassengers. Nothing justifies the latter having

to wait through the extended investigations,then the ensuing court proceedings, beforereceiving the due compensation. So why do we so often hear of lawsuits filedby victims? Amicable compensation proposed by insurersis based on an average assessment of whatthey consider reasonable. By filing a lawsuit,victims can hope for more, but it is a long, riskyprocess. It is also, above all, a negotiating tool:most legal summonses serve only to start up aclaim, rarely running their term; victims’lawyers thus try to place themselves in aposition of strength in order to obtain moresubstantial compensation, for example byrequesting the “amicable” removal of theceiling written into the Montreal Convention.By pursuing the airline, and other co-defendants (aircraft manufacturer, equipmentmanufacturer, air navigationservice…) that do not benefitfrom this ceiling, they clearlyhope to obtain more. Above all, inthe past couple of decades,strategies have been developedto take advantage of theintrinsically international natureof aeronautics activities to openthe virtual doors of foreign courtsreputed to be more generouswith victims. American courtsexert a particular fascination:compensations are hereassessed by popular juries,instinctively closer to thepassenger than to the aero-nautics community, wherebyalready generous compen-sations are enhanced by thenotorious “punitive damages”, averitable private sanction paid tovictims. As long as the aircraft orequipment manufacturer is

based in the U.S. and it can be held that theyhave even partial responsibility in the accident,filing a lawsuit in the U.S. is a sure way ofraising the negotiation stakes.Thus, whilst the accident inquiry and criminalinvestigation is pursued in the full glare of themedia, much more discrete dealings go on inthe privacy of law firms and insuranceagencies. As a result, when the trial actuallycomes about, most victims have already beencompensated. Which does not discouragethem from being there to support theaccusation, to see, hear and maybeunderstand. Victims’ associations ofteninsist on the fact that, over and above thecompensation, their desire is to know“what happened”, moved by thefundamentally human need when facedwith catastrophe: to give it some meaning.

Simon FOREMANLawyer, Partner at Soulez Larivière et Associés, AAE Correspondent

Compensation for victimsof air accidents

* Special drawing rights, a monetary tool created by the IMF whose value is based on theexchange rate of the four main currencies (U.S. dollar, euro, yen and pound sterling).

Specific cases:

The French Fonds de garantie des victimes can, ifa criminal offence has been committed, compensatevictims who are not able to receive damages from theoffender, because the latter has not yet beenidentified for example. The amount is set by theCommission d’indemnisation des victimes d’infrac-tion. This mechanism holds no great advantages overthe Montreal convention, which explains why it israrely used for air transport accidents.Flight crews: for flight crews, any accidentrepresents an occupational accident and as such doesnot come under the terms of the MontrealConvention. In France, their compensation is set bythe social security tribunals. Amounts: in the event of death, survivors can beallocated compensation for moral damages, whichdepends on their relationship with the victim and, themost important part, for economic damages whichare all the greater if the deceased person was thefamily provider and ensured a high standard ofliving. Damages paid can sometimes reach somehundreds of thousands of euros in France, and severalmillion in the U.S.

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Life of the AcademyMarch sessionThe firm Cassidian invited the Academy toÉlancourt for its spring session on 29-30March. During this session, which broughttogether 70 academy members, two newfellows gave their acceptance speeches,illustrating the Academy’s rich diversity:Giuliano Berretta, the architect of the industrialsuccess of Eutelsat, and Gérard Weygand, onFrench aerospace painters.Two new Academy partners were welcomed:Airbus Military and SupMéca.Two themes were particularly explored duringthis session: • defence, exemplified by a long-awaited and

fascinating lecture by General AntoineNoguier, on the “Harmattan” operation inLibya, and by the presentation of Cassidianand Astrium, showing us EADS capabilitiesin large systems definition and integration,telecoms, drones, cyberdefence, commandand control systems and satellite technologyand equipment;

• air traffic management, during the visit to theAthis Mons en-route air navigation centreand the Bretigny Eurocontrol centre, wheremajor research programmes such asSESAR are elaborated.

Marrakech airshow Fellow members Mohamed Moufid, Jean-Claude Bück and Robert Feuilloy representedthe Academy on the ONDA stand. Theyconsolidated high-level relations and gave twolectures on “Sleep management, an essentialelement in performance and flight safety” and“A hundred years of French naval aeronautics”.Toulouse Encounters On 17-18 April, under the baton of fellowmember Jean-Claude Hironde, the 5th editionof the Toulouse Encounters (Entretiens deToulouse) attracted some 250 participants.This training course, which every year meetswith renewed success, was introduced byVice-president Nicole Belloubet of the Midi-Pyrenees Regional Council. A new area ofstudy - aeronautics maintenance - was intro-

duced into the40 topics, inanswer to ademand ex-pressed duringp r e v i o u ssessions.

Other actions• Sections and commissions are busy

preparing two forthcoming events: the“Flying in 2050” conference at the Midi-Pyrenees Regional Council on 30-31 May,and the forum on “Aeronautics materialsof today and tomorrow”, on 30 November,at SAGEM headquarters, Paris.

• The lecture cycles in Toulouse, Brussels andParis are continuing to attract a largeaudience; in Brussels Georges Bridel gave atalk on “The future of the European combataircraft industry” and in Toulouse, Jean Pinetgave a 3AF-AAE lecture on “An analysis of theoperational behaviour of pilots in unexpectedand potentially dangerous situations”.

• The Academy is also preparing its nextsession with the invaluable aid of LennartLübeck. It will take place in Linkoping andKiruna, from 10 to 14 June, and will aim toafford Academy members an overview ofaeronautics and space activities in Sweden.

Jean-ClaudeChaussonnet

SecretaryGeneral

Jacques Villiers passed away on 14 March2012, at the age of 88. A member of theFrench resistance in 1944 in the Vercorsmaquis, Jacques Villiers entered EcolePolytechnique in 1945 then in 1948 wasaccepted at the Ecole Nationale de l’AviationCivile where he was later to teachRadionavigation. He went on to chair theBoard of governors. His career can bedivided into three main periods: assuccessively founder and head of the Centred’études de la navigation aérienne, managerfor the Northern air control region of Franceand administrator of the Inspection généralede l’aviation civile. He was also an activemember of the Board of directors of Aeroportsde Paris and Air France.His main inventions were the result ofrigorous scientific reflection, followed by anexperimental, critical approach: Filtermethod, Digitatron, Dioscures Satellites,ERATO (En Route Air Traffic Organizer) and

ERASMUS (En Route ATC Soft ManagementSystem), the latter of which took up much ofhis time and energy after his retirement.He integrated the work of psychologists andsociologists very early on in his innovativeapproaches to air traffic, having realised theimportance of human factors in flight safetyas early as the 1960s.Jacques Villiers had a lively interest ineconomics. Working on information and datain the public domain, like Maurice Allais, hedrew up analyses which at the time wereseen as being eccentric, but have sinceturned out to be both relevant and significant.He concentrated his observations onproductivity gains already achieved and onthe fact that such sources of economic andsocial progress would inevitably run dry. Hisconcern is now more than ever topical. Very attached to the Academy, he played anactive role in the work of its Section IV andindeed all events devoted to air navigation. He

chaired the“Airports of thefuture” conferen-ce in 1995 whichmet with consi-derable suc-cess. In 2009,prevented by ill-ness from takingpart as sessionpresident in the Air Traffic and Meteorologyconference, he was hurt to find that his note on“Forecasting conflicts and knowledge of wind”was ignored. Major consolation was to come inautumn 2011 when the Air Traffic ControlAssociation published the article in its U.S.Journal.He was an essential player in French,European and global aviation.

Yves Lambert

Homage to Jacques Villiers

Photo of membersduring the visit toCassidian

A homage to Jacques Villiers was presented by LouisPailhas in the Academy’s session of 29-30 March

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Comprehensive list and ordering facilities on our website: www.air-space-academy.org

Publications

General works In French unless marked with an asterisk• Lexique franglais-français, 2009,

70pp A5, €10 • Les Français du ciel, historic

dictionary published by cherche midiunder the direction of L. Robineau,2005, 784pp, €35

• *A positioning system “GALILEO”:strategic, scientific and technicalstakes, English version 2004, 200pp,€19

• Ciels des Hommes, anthologyproposed by L. Robineau,cherche midi, 1999, 222pp, €15

ConferenceproceedingsEnglish and French according to speaker• Air transport pilots facing the

unexpected, 2012, online, 15ۥ Air transport and Meteorology,

2011, online, 15ۥ Airports and their Challenges,

2010, CDRom, €20• Risktaking: a human necessity

that must be managed, 2008,CDRom, €20

• Scientific and FundamentalAspects of the GalileoProgramme, 2008, CDRom, €20

ENVOLS VERS L’INCONNUBiography of Jean Sarrail, Leductest pilotBernard Bacquié, Jean Sarrail232 pages, €30, Latérales editionsComplete with 200 iconographic documents,this deluxe tome tells the life story of anexceptional man through the experiences ofpopular aviation, war, Northern Africa, re-conquest, Indochina, the death of GeneralLeclerc, right up to the first 20 years of theBrétigny and Istres flight testing centres. At the

time, simulators and computers did not exist. Engineers had onlyslide rules and pilots their instinct for survival. Among the latter wasJean Sarrail who, with Gonord and Littolff, dared to climb upscaffolding to be thrown into the air in contraptions with revolutionaryengines. They were valiantly carrying on the fertile work of a selftaught genius: René Leduc. Eighteen major accidents, astonishinganecdotes! Fasten your seat belts! Once upon a time there was JeanSarrail...

PILOTE DE RECO; Les temps descommandements ; de Cognac àWashington 1954-1976 Philippe Jarry400 pages, €30, Nouvelles Éditions LatinesIn this follow-up to his book “Des Images sous lesAiles”, which won the Languedoc Academy’sHistory prize, Philippe Jarry pursues the history ofGeneral Pierre Jarry. January 1954. Pierre Jarry had just been promoted to commanderafter a 22-month campaign in Indochina. During his early career,begun in 1941, and in the course of his appointments in France, theU.S., Morocco then Germany he had learned the skills of a militarypilot before specialising in reconnaissance. Now the time had cometo take command: the Iron curtain, Suez, the Algerian war, the Coldwar and the East-West balance constituted the backdrop to the riseof this officer through the ranks to the giddy heights of Major General.For the pilot, it was the jet era, from the F-84 to the Mirage IIIR.

Members’ publications

Are you familiar with the Academy’s Dossiers series?A series of bilingual reports (French-English) onspecialised themes, the Dossiers de l’Académieare drawn up following conferences or internalstudies carried out by sections and commissions.After analysing the different issues andchallenges, these reports contain conclusions

and recommendations addressed to the relevantauthorities. In this way the Academy aims tomake a solid contribution to the knowledge basein order to better prepare the aeronautics andspace sectors for the different challenges facingthem.

Most of these dossiers can be ordered from our website : www.academie-air-espace.org

Our congratulations to fellow Marius Le Fèvre for receiving, on 9February 2012, the Aubinière prize of the French Space historyInstitute IFHE for his work “L’Espace, du rêve à la réalité”, publ. 2011.

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For your diaryFor more information on any events organised by the Academy: www.academie-air-espace.org

The Lettre de l’Académie de l’Air et de l’Espace is atwo-monthly publication – ISSN 1288-5223The conclusions and opinions expressed in this document arethose of the authors, within a context of freedom of expressioncultivated by our Academy. They do not necessarily reflect theopinions of the Academy or its partners.EDITORIAL OFFICES/ADMINISTRATION:Air and Space Academy:BP 75825 – 31505 Toulouse Cedex 5Tel.: 33 (0)5 34 25 03 80 – Fax: 33 (0)5 61 26 37 56Email: publications@academie-air-espace.comInternet : www.air-space-academy.comDIRECTEUR DE LA PUBLICATION/EDITOR: Gérard BrachetEDITORIAL TEAM: Jean-Claude Chaussonnet, Yves Marc, PierreSparaco, Martine Ségur, Lindsey JonesPRE-PRESS/ TRANSLATION: Lindsey JonesPRINTED BY: ENAC Service Édition7 avenue Édouard Belin – 31055 TOULOUSE CEDEX 4

Previous issues:No.77 Aerospace in Germany, April 2012No.76 Aerospace in Sweden, Jan 2012No.75 A330 MRTT, Nov. 2011No.74 The Pilot: a technological being, Sept 2011No.73 Laser-Lune Telemetry, June 2011The full list of previous issues and other publications can befound on our website.

In Toulouse, Médiathèque José Cabanis, 6pm(in French)26/06 We are the Martians!, Giovanni Bignami,

astrophysicist, COSPAR and INAFPresident, AAE

25/09 Target Mars: new missions to explore thered planet, Francis Rocard, Head of solarsystem exploration programmes, CNES

30/10 Flight safety: questions and answers,Michel Guérard, Vice-président ProductSafety at Airbus, and Pierre Sparaco, formerEuropean bureau Chief at Aviation Week &Space Technology, AAE

27/11 Flight testing the A400M, FernandoAlonso, Head of Flight and Integration Tests,Airbus, AAE

and with 3AF :03/10 New structures technologies at Airbus:

the A350 beyond, Alain Tropis, Head of theStructure Center of Competence, Airbus,Airbus France at 6pm

In Brussels (in English)27/06 Long-term strategy for European Space

Launchers, Fredrik Engström, RoyalAcademy of Belgium, at 12.30pm

Lectures

Supported events

Toulouse Space Show, 25-28 June 2012, PierreBaudis Congress Centre, Toulouse• Space Appli: 4th Conference on Space Applications• Space&Law: 1st Space & Law Forum• KM: 4th Conference on Knowledge Management for

Space Missions• ANTEM: Conference bringing together specialists in

antennas and more generally electromagnetic systems. www.toulousespaceshow.eu

And in the autumn:• Aerotop, 27-30 Sept. 2012 at ENSMA, Poitiers,

organised by 3AF• 7th Gimont Aerospace meetings, 3-7 Oct.

2012, Gimont• La Novela, Festival of scientific culture, 5-21

Oct. 2012, Toulouse• “Des étoiles et des ailes”, aerospace image

and book festival, 15-18 Nov. 2012, Cité del’Espace, Toulouse

Programme

Ecsite 2012In the framework of the annual confe-rence of this European network ofscience museums and centres, heldthis year in Toulouse, Academy mem-bers will give presentations at theCitizen Science 2012 days which willbe held from 31 May to 2 June. More information on the Academy’swebsite.

Cospar 2012 14-22 July 2012, Mysore, IndiaThe Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) together with the Local OrganizingCommittee, COSPAR - 2012 cordially invitesyou to attend the 39th COSPAR ScientificAssembly that will take place from 14- 22 July2012 at Narayana Murthy Centre of Excellence(Infosys Training Centre), Mysore, Karnataka,India. www.cospar-assembly.org

Our Future depends on SpaceAfternoon of lectures at the Paris Palais de laDécouverte, 8 November 2012 at 2pm, in French- Galileo at last in orbit, Gérard Brachet, former

Director General of Cnes, AAE President- Melting icecaps: taking stock from space,

Frédérique Rémy, Head of the cryosphere teamof LEGOS, CNRS, AAE

- Fire from the sky: meteorites and killerasteroids, Jean-Pierre Luminet, ResearchDirector CNRS, AAE

Booking: conferences@universcience.fr

© EADS

Introduction• Tasadduq Khan, Senior Advisor at Onera, AAECurrent and future needs in terms of materialsfor turbomachines and aeronautics equipment• Claude Quillien, Head of materials and

processes at SafranMaterials for aeronautics structures: evolutionand stakes • Yann Barbaux, Head of EADS Innovation

WorksArchitectured Materials: a bridge betweendesign and materials• Yves Bréchet, IP Grenoble, Académie des

SciencesChoice between aluminium alloys and organiccomposites for future business aircraft• Philippe Vautey, Head of New Technologies

Materials Department, Dassault Aviation

New alloys and aluminium solutions foraeronautics structures: evolution and stakes• Bruno Dubost, Science Director at Constellium,

Académie des technologies• Jean-Christophe Ehrström, Head of Aerospace

project at Constellium• Timothy Warner, Research Programmes

Manager at ConstelliumMechanic metallurgy: the needs of theaeronautics industry• André Pineau, Professor of Materials Science

at ENSMP, Académie des technologiesRound table

Aeronautics materials for today and tomorrow Friday 30 November 2012 - SAGEM - 75015 Paris Forum organised by the Air and Space Academy with 3AF and the Académie des technologies

In order to meet the challenges facing air transport by 2050, it is essential to move forward incertain key areas: propulsion systems, mass, cost effectiveness, drag and air traffic management.In the case of the first three factors, materials are at the very heart of strategic and economicaldecisions in terms of design and manufacture of turbomachinery and aeronautics and spacestructures. The aim of this forum is to present and discuss stakes, strategies and both current andfuture needs in the area of materials.

Information / registration:contact@academie-air-espace.com

www.air-space-academy.org