Apache Aviation’s flight instructors combine a huge instrument flight experience in extreme conditions, including within the Air Force during their career as Fighter pilots and as military instructors, then as civilians in our ATO.
Apache Aviation
”Apache Aviation, operator of professional acrobatic teams for 35 years, operator of aerial work referenced for 12 years by the Ministry of Defense, operates the Breitling Jet Team around the world since 2003 - the only professional acrobatic team flying in jets.
Any fighter pilot develops an extreme knowledge of the flight envelope of a plane, regardless of the flight conditions. Recovering of unusual positions and preventing any stall situations are part of their daily life, either in visual flight or instrument flight, with or without on-board assistance systems.
The military instructor background of the Apache Aviation pilots guarantees the pedagogical expertise in the passing on of this very specific know-how.
Flight instructors
Jacques Bothelin
PDG
Leader and manager of the Breitling Jet Team, Jacques Bothelin is one of the world’s most experienced aerobatics pilots. He has clocked up over 11,500 flight hours on 145 types of planes, and performed around 2,900 demonstrations in 37 countries. As leader, he heads the formation, flying plane No. 1.
Bernard Charbonnel
CPL IR, FI, IRI, FE, CRE, S-CRE
A fighter pilot specializing in ground attacks, “Charbo” mainly flew on Jaguar and Mirage 2000. Owner of old planes. “Charbo” has 9,000 flight hours behind him.
Christophe Deketelaere
CPL IR, FI, IRI, CRI, CRE
Before joining Jacques Bothelin’s team, Christophe Deketeleare, known as “Douky” was a fighter pilot on Jaguar and Alpha Jet aircraft within the French Air Force, where he was also an Alpha Jet instructor. He has notched up 6,100 flight hours.
François Ponsot
CPL IR
A Mirage F1 and Mirage 2000 fighter pilot as well as a Mirage 2000 flight presenter at international air shows, “Ponpon” has nonetheless remained passionately dedicated to vintage aviation. He devotes most of his leisure time to flying and restoring legendary planes like the Stampe or T6. “Ponpon” has 6,700 flight hours to his credit.
Paco Wallaert
CPL IR, FI, IRI, CRE
During his 22 years as a French Air Force fighter pilot, “Paco” flew Tucano, Jaguar and Alpha Jet aircraft. From 2009 to 2011, he was part of the Patrouille de France, subsequently serving a season as its technical coordinator.
He is the Breitling Jet Team’s “right outside wingman”. He has over 4,500 flight hours under his belt.
Patrick Marchand
CPL IR
Patrick Marchand, known as “Gaston”, enjoyed a career as a fighter pilot on Jaguar and Alpha Jet planes. He performed flight demonstrations over a five year period as part of a pair of Jaguars, the “Raffin Mikes”. He has clocked up 6,000 flight hours.
Daher TB 30 Epsilon Apache Aviation
ICAO advocates evolutions in flight envelope that exceed the certification limits of the Normal and Utility categories.
The TB30 aircraft are aerobatic certified and are especially suitable for UPRT.
They are also IFR certified and high wing loaded that closely replicate transport aircraft handling characteristics
The TB30 aircraft have modern EFIS avionics that include under hood training possibilities
The large flight envelope of the TB30 optimizes opportunities to safely investigate the entire UPSET attitude envelope (VNE 280KT/6g)
Performance
- Never exceed speed: 520 km/h (281 knots, 323 mph)
- Maximum speed: 378 km/h (204 knots, 236 mph) at sea level
- Cruise speed: 358 km/h (193 knots, 222 mph) at 1,830 m (6,000 ft) (75% power)
- Stall speed: 115 km/h (62 knots, 72 mph) flaps and gear down, power off
- Range: 1,300 km (700 nmi, 810 mi)
- Endurance: 3 hr 45 min
- Service ceiling: 7,010 m (23,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 1,850 ft/min (9.4 m/s)
Industrial capacity
The fleet of 6 dedicated aircraft implemented and the number of instructors available guarantee the ability to train a large population without delay.
Quality / price / performance
TB 30 provides a (very) reasonable cost of operation, optimal to fit with the training objective.
The special skills of the Apache Aviation instructors make them the elite of the UPRT domain.