Competing with the best

摘要

In the aftermath of World War Two, the French aviation industry rapidly began rebuilding its strength following the devastation of the previous six years. A test pilot and flight test engineer school was urgently needed as new, high-performance aircraft about to enter service required different scientific and unified testing procedures to those before. The creation of the Ecole du Personnel Navigant d'Essais et de Reception (EPNER) in 1946 was perfectly timed and the unit was initially based in Bretigny-sur-Orge, south of Paris - in an old wooden shack.