André Turcat

André Turcat
Born	(1921-10-23) October 23, 1921 Marseille, France
Died	January 4, 2016(2016-01-04) (aged 94)
Occupation(s)	Aviator, Test pilot
Known for	Piloting the inaugural flight of the first Concorde prototype

Major André Édouard Marcel Turcat (; born 23 October 1921, died 4 January 2016) was a distinguished French Air Force aviator and test pilot best known for piloting the inaugural flight of the first Concorde prototype in 1969.

Originating from a family involved in the automotive sector in Marseille, Turcat pursued his education at École polytechnique. In 1983, he established the Académie nationale de l'air et de l'espace.

Biography

Turcat completed his studies at École Polytechnique in 1942 and subsequently enlisted in the Free French Air Forces during the Second World War. He continued his career with the Armée de l'Air after the conflict ended. During the Indochina War, he operated C-47 transport aircraft, showcasing remarkable piloting abilities that resulted in his selection for training at EPNER, France’s premier test pilot institution.

He soon took command of the testing program for the Nord 1500 Griffon, one of the earliest aircraft powered by a ramjet. Flying the Griffon, Turcat reached speeds of up to Mach 2.19, an achievement that earned him the esteemed Harmon Trophy in 1958. On 25 February 1959, he established a world speed record over a distance of 100 kilometers with an average velocity of 1,643 km/h (1,021 mph).

Following his departure from military service after completing the Griffon project, Turcat joined the government-owned aerospace firm Sud Aviation as development began on the Concorde supersonic transport (SST) initiative. He assumed the role of chief test pilot for Concorde and director of flight testing at Sud Aviation. On 2 March 1969, Turcat commanded Concorde’s first prototype during its maiden voyage and later conducted its initial supersonic flight on 1 October that same year. In 1973, he piloted Concorde 001 throughout a total solar eclipse lasting 74 minutes. Turcat co-led the French segment of Concorde’s test operations alongside British chief test pilot Brian Trubshaw; both were honored with the Ivan C. Kincheloe Award for their exceptional efforts.

In 1983, he founded and became the inaugural president of the Académie nationale de l'air et de l'espace (ANAE), which was renamed Académie de l'Air et de l'Espace in 2007. Turcat participated in Air France Concorde’s final retirement flight (F-BVFC) on 27 June 2003 to the Airbus facility in Toulouse. His literary contributions include works such as Concorde essais et batailles (1977) and Pilote d'essais: Mémoires (2005).

Turcat’s achievements were further recognized with his induction into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in 1998.