André Turcat

Who is André Turcat?

Major André Édouard Turcat is a former French test pilot.

A graduate of France's prestigious École Polytechnique, Turcat joined the Free French air force during the final years of World War II and stayed with Armée de l'Air after the war. During the Indochina War, Turcat served as a pilot of C-47 transport aircraft and demonstrated exceptional skills in handling a number of flight emergencies, thus earning an assignment to EPNER, France's test pilot school. Shortly after graduating, Turcat took over the test campaign of the Nord 1500 Griffon, one of the world's first ramjet-powered aircraft. During this successful program, Turcat flew the Griffon at Mach 2.19, a feat that earned him the prestigious Harmon Trophy in 1958. A few months later, Turcat broke the world speed record over 100 kilometers with the Griffon at an average 1,643 km/h.

Turcat left the military after the Griffon program ended and joined state-owned aircraft manufacturer Sud Aviation as the Concorde supersonic transport program was starting. He became Concorde's chief test pilot and Sud Aviation's director of flight testing.