Service d'exploitation de la formation aéronautique facts for kids
SEFA Muret
|
|
| Motto | Professionnalisme & excellence |
|---|---|
|
Motto in English
|
Professionalism & Excellence |
| Type | Flight school |
| Established | 1993 |
| Location |
Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban, Carcassonne, Castelnaudary, Muret, Montpellier, Grenoble, Biscarosse, Saint-Yan and Melun
,
43°26′59″N 1°15′46″E / 43.44972°N 1.26278°E |
| Nickname | SEFA |
| Affiliations | IAAPS |
The Service d'exploitation de la formation aéronautique (which means 'Service for the Operation of Aeronautical Training' in French), often called SEFA, was a special national flight school in France. It had nine different locations across the country. SEFA was managed by the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC). On January 1, 2011, SEFA joined with another big school, the École nationale de l'aviation civile, to become one large aviation school.
Contents
History of SEFA
Early Days of French Aviation Training
SEFA came from a long history of the French government helping people learn to fly. Back in 1936, a government group called the "Popular Front" started "sections d’aviation populaire" (SAP). These groups helped young people learn to fly. The goal was to make flight training available to more people. It also helped train more pilots for the French military.
After World War II, in 1946, a new service was created. It was called the "service de l’aviation légère et sportive" (SALS). Its main job was to provide airplanes and flight instructors for local flying clubs. This helped more people enjoy flying as a hobby.
How SEFA's Name Changed Over Time
The name of this aviation training service changed many times. In 1955, SALS became the "service de la formation aéronautique et des sports aériens" (SFASA). Then, in 1959, it changed to the "service de la formation aéronautique, du travail aérien et des transports" (SFATAT). In 1964, it was renamed the "service de la formation aéronautique" (SFA). Finally, in 1976, it became the "service de la formation aéronautique et du contrôle technique" (SFACT).
These name changes show how the French civil aviation administration changed over time. They also show how much the government was involved in flight training. Special national centers were set up for different types of flying. For example, centers for gliding were created in 1945. Centers for flying planes with engines opened in places like Carcassonne (1945) and Saint-Yan (1947). A center for skydiving started in Biscarosse in 1953.
Training Airline Pilots: A New Goal
Over the years, the French civil aviation administration started to focus less on gliding and skydiving. A big change happened in 1959. The center in Saint-Yan welcomed its first group of students who wanted to become airline pilots. This was a new and important job for SEFA: training future airline pilots.
All the national training centers were brought together under one management. This led to the creation of SEFA in 1993. SEFA brought together everything needed to carry out the tasks given by the DGAC. In 1996, SEFA's main office moved to Muret. This brought all the central services, which were spread out before, into one place.
SEFA Joins Forces with ENAC
On January 1, 2011, SEFA officially joined with the École nationale de l'aviation civile (ENAC). This merger created the largest aviation school in Europe. Now, all the training activities that SEFA used to do are part of ENAC. They are all known under the name ENAC.
See also
In Spanish: Service d'exploitation de la formation aéronautique para niños
