France selects Pilatus PC-7 Mk.X for initial training

On 10 January 2025, the Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA, French Armament Agency) announced that it had awarded the "Mentor 2" contract to Babcock International France Aviation. This contract includes 22 Pilatus PC-7 Mk.X aircraft and 12 simulators, which will be deployed at Salon-de-Provence.

The new trainer will serve as the foundation for initial training of future Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace (AAE, French Air and Space Force) and Marine Nationale (French Navy) pilots.

Currently, air force student pilots or navigator weapons system officers begin their training at Base Aérienne 701 (BA701) Salon-de-Provence, home to the Air School. Their journey starts with Initial Military Training, followed by General Military Training for Officers (FMGO). Students then transition to the Gliding Training Squadron, where they learn the basics of aeronautics.

Advanced training begins with initial flight instruction on Cirrus SR20 and SR22 aircraft operated by the L'Escadron d'Instruction en Vol (EIV, flight training squadrons) 3/5 "Comtat-Venaissin" (EIV03.005) and 2/93 "Cévennes" (EIV02.093). From here they proceed to Base Aérienne 709 (BA709) Cognac-Châteaubernard, completing 45 flights on Grob G120A-F aircraft. This critical phase determines their specialisation—fighter or transport pilot.

The introduction of the FOMEDEC (Modernised Training and Differentiated Training of Fighter Crews) and MENTOR 1 concepts, along with the retirement of the TB-30 Epsilon and Alphajet E, enabled air force fighter pilot training to be conducted exclusively on the Pilatus PC-21, reducing training duration and costs.

However, in 2020, the air force identified shortcomings in the Cirrus SR20/SR22 for initial flight training, describing them as "very limited in their evolutions in the third dimension." In response, the Mentor 2 project was developed to replace both the Cirrus SR20/SR22 and Grob G120.

The project aimed to reduce the student pilot training course by three and a half months. Drawing lessons from prior challenges, such as the brief use of the Embraer 312F due to its limited high-altitude flight envelope, the air force emphasised that the new aircraft must have performance compatible with medium-altitude operations.

Babcock France stated that this programme will create approximately 100 jobs between Salon-de-Provence and Le Cannet-des-Maures. It is expected to deliver around 11,000 flight hours and 6,500 simulator training hours annually for approximately 120 student pilots.

The implications of this development for the École d'Aéronautique Navale (EOPAN, Naval Aeronautics Pilot Cadet) curriculum are yet to be determined. Currently, EOPAN training begins with flight selection on Cap 10 aircraft operated by Squadron 50S at the Lanvéoc-Poulmic naval base.

Credit photos: Adrian Romang (via Airhistory.net), and Bruno Muthelet and Rodigro Train (both via jetphotos.com)