Jean Lanvario 1919-1996

First Transall C-160 aircraft which Jean Lanvario flew the maiden flight of.

Jean Lanvario flew the first flight of the Transall on February 25th 1963 along with flight engineer Jean Caillard and flight engineers Lucien Goypieron and Louis Bonfand and flight engineers. The flight lasted 55 minutes.He joined the CEV in 1948 flying many aircraft types. He also tested the Caravelle.

Antoine Ochsenbein 1921-1992

Antoine Ochsenbein was a military and test pilot who was famous for making the maiden flight of the first French Delta wing aircraft, the Payen PA-49 'Katy'. The PA49 was the work of Nicolas-Roland Payen. In May 1951,Payen and three workers contructed the PA-49A in a month! It was not until January 22 1954 that the Payen PA49 Katy took to the skies for the first time, piloted by Tony Ochsenbein. Between 1954 and the end of 1958, it carried out many flights. When the project ended, Payen offered the aircraft to the Aerospace Museum at Le Bourget, where it remains today. Ochsenbein also flew and tested the R.Hirsch 100 and the Bertin air cushion vehicle.

Jacques Lecarme 1906-1986

Jacques Lecarme

Roger Receveau 1919 - 1994

Roger Receveau

Jacques Guignard 1920-1988

Jaques Guignard (left) with Charles Goujon

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Jacques Guignard became a military pilot aged nineteen, having rejoined the FAFL in June 1940. He flew 370 missionsduring WW2,claiming 3 victories. Post war he tarined asa test pilot at ETPS and became the second French pilot (after Clear Maurice) to fly a jet aircraft, the Meteor. He returned to France in 1945 and began his career as a test pilot at the CEV and on January 29 1946 at 35years of age he carried out his first maiden flight. In all he carried out test flights on 16 prototypes 10 of which were maiden flights. He nearly lost his life twice in crashes of the Trident, however, he did go on to co-pilot Concorde on its maiden flight alongside Andre Turcat. He had flown more than 6,000 hours of test flight and was highly decorated.

Bernard Witt 1926-2011

Bernard Witt

Jean Gonord 1903-1988

John Gonord joined the Navy in 1922 and became a pilot in 1924.He joined Latécoère in1930 and during his 9 years there,he flew about twenty prototypes including the Laté28-8, Laté380-01 , Laté350, Laté440,Laté290-01, Laté300,Laté521 and the Potez540 (built under license by Latécoère).He joined Breguet in 1944 and during his 2 years there flew the Br731 and Br500.He joined Leduc Aircraft in 1946, making the first flights of the LeducO10-01 , 010-02 and Leduc016.

Gérard Muselli 1915-1970

On the 2nd February 1970 after a journey home from work,Gérard Muselli suffered a heart attack and was found dead in his car. This was not the end one would have imagined for one of the top French combat and test pilots. He was a modest man who did not seek fame,just a hard working and diligent test pilot. He had flown more than 4200 hours, a large proportion in flight testing. Gérard Muselli was a wartime fighter pilot, flying with the Escadrille GC 1/5,scoring 6 aerial victories and 4 probables. He started his test flying career in the airforce before joining Dassault. He test flew various marks of Mystere and Mirage. Roland Glavany and Gerard Muselli were involved in the flight testing of the Mystere MD-550 pushing the programme forward at top speed and by December 1955, the Mystere-Delta was delivered to the CEV for test flights through January 1956. He made the maiden flight of the the Super Mystère B2, the successor of Mystère IV A, The SMB2 01 took off on a 40 minute 1st flight at Melun-Villaroche, on 15th May 1956, breaking the sound barrier without afterburning assistance..

Jacques Jesberger 1926-1988

Jacques Jesberger was a Naval Officer who was a navigator in Indochina and night fighter pilot. He was posted to the CEV in 1959 and became a test pilot of Breguet Aviation in 1962. He flight tested the Atlantic, Alizé, Breguet 941. He made the first flight of the Breguet 941 to the USA.
He made the first flights of the Marine Jaguar and, with dassault-breguet, Super Etendard and Atlantic NG.

Fred Nicole 1911-1987

Fred Nicole