Page 62 - Aviation News (February 2020)

Showing o its twin mainwheel
undercarriage and A-frame arrester
hook, Alizé 47 prepares to land on a
French carrier. Henri-Pierre Grolleau

modernised aircraft were known as ALM On September 15, 2000, as the prevailing view was that no Alizés would
(for ALizé Modernisé), and the fi rst was French Navy was transitioning from the ever fl y again. Well, not quite….
delivered back to Flottille 6F in 1983. The Clemenceau-class carriers to the Charles
modernisation of the last airframe was de Gaulle, the Alizés of Flottille 6F were REVIVING THE TYPE
completed the following year. fi nally withdrawn from service, bringing Thanks to the e orts of skilled engineers
In 1987, the Titane datalink was fi tted to to an end an eventful 41 years of service. and determined individuals, an Alizé has
the Alizé fl eet, bringing the aircraft into the The F-8P Crusader had gone the previous been brought back to fl ying condition. Eight
era of secure discrete communications, year and the Etendard IVPM was also aircraft had been stored because defence
and in 1991 a Trimble GPS was adopted to withdrawn from use in 2000. The E-2C company Thales thought there could be
withdrawn from use in 2000. The E-2C
ensure accurate navigation and help ease export potential if they were modernised
aircrew workload. “Thanks to the but that came to nothing, leaving some
Two years later, the Alizés’ hydraulic airframes available.
and electrical circuits and their instrument e orts of skilled A team of enthusiasts had been thinking
panels were all upgraded, new U/VHF about trying to put an Alizé back into the
radios installed and the fl are and cha engineers and air since 2002, conducting an in-depth
dispenser’s computer updated to better determined feasibility study and initiating a series of
match perceived threats. A new, darker contacts with key French Navy o cials,
paint scheme was also introduced. individuals, an Alizé including those of the Commission du

ALH, THE FINAL has been brought Patrimoine de la Marine Nationale (the Navy’s
historic/heritage committee). These contacts
STANDARD proved decisive in winning support from
In 1996, a fi nal modernisation programme back to fl ying high-ranking o cers, including former naval
called ALH (ALizé mis à Hauteur, or aviation admirals, who were in a position to
upgraded Alizé) was initiated for nine aircraft, condition.” make things move forward when required.
involving the adoption of a new autopilot Alizé Marine, a non-profi t association
and a Chlio FLIR mounted in the port Hawkeye was by now in service, bringing run by volunteers, was o cially created
Hawkeye was by now in service, bringing
undercarriage sponson, with a screen for the unmatched surveillance and detection in July 2009 to oversee the project. It is
navigator. This FLIR considerably facilitated capabilities and the fi rst two Rafale M mainly composed of a large contingent of
night identifi cation of unknown vessels at fi ghters were expected at Landivisiau in current and former French Navy personnel
stando distances. These turrets were later December 2000. A new era had begun. who bring unique skills to the association.
recovered and transferred to Falcon 50s A saying at the time proved popular: Led by Patrick Hilbert, a former Marine
upgraded to SURMAR (surveillance maritime) ‘When you are out of Alizés…you are out Nationale Alouette III and Dauphin pilot,
standard for service with Flottille 24F, at of Br.1050s…’ (thus parodying the famous the project moved forward quickly. In
Lann-Bihoué. In April 1996, rockets were Vought slogan ‘When you are out of February 2010, the team was o cially
fi red by an Alizé for the last time ever. Crusaders, you are out of fi ghters’). The allocated two Alizés by the French Navy.

Along with the Fairey Gannet and the Westland
Wyvern, the Alizé is one of only a handful of
single-engined turboprop carrier-based aircraft
to enter service. Henri-Pierre Grolleau

60 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2020

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