Death:Death, Cause unspecified 4 January 2016 chart Placidus Equal_H.
French former test pilot of the Concorde, graduate of the prestigious Ecole Polytechnique. He died on 4 January 2016. Link to Wikipedia biography
French test pilot (born October 23, 1921, Marseille, France—died January 31, 2016), first to fly the Concorde prototype, Concorde 001.
Turcat graduated from the École polytechnique and served during World War II as a fighter pilot for the Free French Air Force and later the Armée de l'Air.
In 1948 Turcat joined the experimental division at the manufacturer Sud Aviation, where he participated in the development of the Vautour combat jet, which he first flew in 1952. In 1954 he flew the prototype of the Caravelle jet airliner, a design whose influence would be reflected later in the Concorde.
In 1964 Turcat was appointed chief test pilot for the Franco-British Concorde project. He was at the controls of Concorde 001, the first prototype of the civil supersonic aircraft, when it made its maiden flight on March 2, 1969.
Turcat retired from flying in 1974 to take up a management position with Sud Aviation. He later served as president of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations and as a safety consultant for the United Nations.
Turcat was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Harmon Trophy (1969) and the French Légion d'honneur.
Turcat was involved in the following projects after his retirement from flying:
Turcat was a passionate advocate for aviation safety and played a key role in the development of international safety standards.
He was also a talented artist who enjoyed painting and sculpting.
Turcat passed away on January 31, 2016, at the age of 94.
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