This Wednesday, September 12 was held in the Ecole Militaire the launch meeting of the new season of teaching the Brevet d’Initiation à l’Aéronautique. The Colonel Mailhes, commander of the Formation Administrative Air de Paris highlighted the importance that the Haut Commandement of the French Air Force places on this training, considering it as “a duty towards the future of our youth” for the great aeronautical nation that is France.
After this introduction, it is the turn of Colonel Hervé de Saint-Exupéry to present the role of the Division des Stratégies et des Actions pour la Jeunesse. This department is the result of the reorganization of the CERPA (Centre Etudes, Réserves et Partenariats de l’Armée de l’air) which has for mission to spread the French Air Force values around the world. It is within this division that the Air-Jeunesse plan has been registered since 2015 and brings together many forces outside the Air Force to shine the eyes of young people and their families. parents
It was then Colonel Didier Halter who spoke to explain in more detail the functioning of the teaching of the BIA, certificate recognized by the National Education. The training consists of 50 hours of courses divided into the following five modules:
- History of Aeronautics and Space
- Aerodynamics and flight mechanics
- Aircraft knowledge
- Meteorology
- Navigation / Flight Safety
The French Air Force’s initiation to aeronautics is progressing rapidly, since only two institutions in the Ile de France region were involved in 2017, compared to around a dozen for the 2019 promotion. The objective is thus in the medium term to exceed 300 students concerned by this plan.
Various needs are triggered by this teaching, including monitoring with schools, the management of trainers, scheduling of course hours and the completion of flying hours included in the training BIA. Most of these tasks are performed by members of the Section Aéronautique de Réserve de l’Armée de l’Air (SARAA). It is thus possible to name in particular five persons having a significant role in the coordination for the proper functioning of this training:
- The head of the unit: Colonel Didier Halter who is the intermediary with the division « Jeunesse – Egalité des Chances – Armée de l’air / Nation » and thus ensures the sustainability of the unit
- The deputy chief of the cell: the aviator Frédéric Petit
- The communication officer: the commander of the citizen reserve (rcit) Françoise Ficheux who leads and develops relations with schools
- The assistant in charge of communication: Captain Gilberte Canoine Azzopardi (rcit)
The operational coordinator: Second Lieutenant Etienne Bobin (rcit), ORAJe Vice-President who coordinates the teams in the field.
The members of ORAJe are proud to count their Vice- President among the coordination team, this marks the will of ORAJe to get involved in this partnership with the French Air Force and thus sets the example to the all members. Congratulations to you Etienne!
As a result of this meeting, participants were able to register on available slots to best prepare for the BIA season which began in October. All those present then gathered around a meal at the Ecole Militaire to share tips and welcome new members!