Air Transports of Heads of State and Government - France

France

See also: Escadron de transport, d'entraînement et de calibrage and Cotam 001

The Escadron de transport, d'entraînement et de calibrage 00.065 (ETEC 65, "Transportation, training and calibration squadron") is the unit of the French Air Force, under direct command of the Minister of Defence, in charge of the transportation of the President, the Prime Minister and other French government officials.

The ETEC operates 4 Dassault Falcon 50 (F-RAFI, F-RAFJ, F-RAFK and F-RAFL), 2 Dassault Falcon 900 (F-RAFP and F-RAFQ), 2 Dassault Falcon 7X (F-RAFA and F-RAFB) and 1 Airbus A330-200 (F-RARF). Additionally, the unit operates three VIP-configured Super Puma helicopters (F-RAFU, F-RAFY and F-RAFZ).

French officials also use the planes of the Escadron de transport 3/60 Esterel, which operates 3 Airbus A310-304 (F-RADA, F-RADB and F-RADC) and 2 Airbus A340-211 (F-RAJA and F-RAJB).

In 2009, the French National Assembly approved a specific budget of 185 million euros for the purchase and modification of an Airbus A330-223 from Air Caraibes (F-ZWUG, ex F-GRTP, ex F-OPTP) to be reserved for the exclusive use of the President of the Republic.

Air France chartered flights were also used by French officials, most notably Concorde when it was still in service with that airline.