École de l'air et de l'espace facts for kids
School crest
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Other name
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EAE |
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| Motto | « Faire face » (French) (also motto of the French Air and Space Force) |
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Motto in English
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« Face honestly, truthfully & correctly straight forward » |
| Type | Air Force Academy, Grande École |
| Established | 1933 |
| Rector | Brigadier General Pierre Réal |
| Director | Brigadier General Pierre Réal |
| Students | 500 |
| Location |
Salon-de-Provence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
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France
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| Affiliations | CDEFI, CGE, PEGASUS |
The École de l'air et de l'espace (which means "School of Air and Space" in French) is a special military school. It trains future officers for the French Air and Space Force. These officers will lead and manage different parts of the air force. The school is located in Salon-de-Provence, France, at the Salon-de-Provence Air Base.
Contents
History of the Air and Space School
The idea of training air force officers started a long time ago. In 1922, a school called the École du génie (School of Engineering) in Versailles began teaching all officers and aircrew about flying.
Later, in 1925, the École militaire et d’application de l’Aéronautique (Military and Aeronautical School) was created. Young officers from other military schools came here for two years of training. After that, pilots continued their training at other bases to learn about air combat and bombing.
Founding the School
The École de l'air et de l'espace was officially created in 1933 by President Albert Lebrun. The very first group of students started their training on November 4, 1935. The school's motto is Faire Face, which means "Overcoming" or "Facing Challenges". This motto honors Capitaine Georges Guynemer, a famous French fighter pilot from World War I.
In 1937, the school moved to its current home in Salon, France. However, during World War II, the school had to move several times to stay safe. It went to places like Bordeaux, Collioure, and even Marrakech in North Africa. Finally, in 1946, the school returned to its completed campus in Salon. In 1947, it received two very important awards: the Legion of Honor and the Croix de Guerre, given by President Vincent Auriol.
Growing and Expanding
Over the years, other specialized schools joined the École de l'air et de l'espace. For example, in 1953, the École du commissariat de l'Air joined. This school trains officers who handle the money, legal matters, and administration for the air force. In 1973, the Cours Spécial de l'École de l'air et de l'espace (CSEA) was added. This program trains students from French-speaking countries in Africa.
The school also started an exchange program in 1969 with the United States Air Force Academy. This allows students from both schools to study abroad for a short time. A big step forward happened in 1976 when the school first welcomed women as students.
Since 2008, the school has offered special advanced courses. These courses focus on topics like aviation safety and managing aerospace projects. They are taught in partnership with other top French aviation schools. In 2015, the school launched an online course called "Understanding Air Power." This course was available to many people through a special online platform.
Famous People Who Studied Here
Many notable individuals have graduated from the École de l'air et de l'espace. They have gone on to achieve great things in the military, space, and other fields. Here are a few examples:
- Stéphane Abrial: A French General who was a top commander in NATO.
- Caroline Aigle: The first woman fighter pilot in the French Air Force.
- Patrick Baudry: A retired French Air Force officer and a former astronaut.
- Jean-Loup Chrétien: A former French astronaut.
- Olivier Dassault: A former French politician and businessman.
- Léopold Eyharts: An astronaut from the European Space Agency (ESA).
- Jean-Pierre Haigneré: A French Air Force officer and former astronaut.
- Jacques Rosay: A chief test pilot for the aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
- Michel Tognini: A French test pilot, general in the Air Force, and former astronaut.
See also
In Spanish: École de l'air para niños
