EAA/EADS Socata’s International Trainees Complete Their Highly Successful “Young Eagles” Internship
Two participants in the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Young Eagles program wrap-up a five-week assignment with EADS Socata
EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, 24 July 2007
Two college students from the U.S. and Canada have completed their “Young Eagles” internship with EADS Socata, which included on-the-job experience at the general aviation aircraft manufacturer’s French headquarters, a flight in the company’s new TBM 850 very fast turboprop, a visit to the 2007 Paris Air Show and a tour of the Airbus production facility in Toulouse.
These students – 21-year-old Ashley Leman from Crystal Lake, Illinois and 19-year-old John Staines from Komoka, Ontario, Canada – are attending this week’s EAA AirVenture air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where they outlined their experience at a press conference today with EADS Socata Chairman and CEO Jean-Michel Léonard.
Léonard said the 2007 Young Eagles internships were extremely valuable for both the students and EADS Socata, and the company is committed to continuing the program in 2008.
“As an MIT graduate myself, I am fully aware of the value of student exchange and the importance of transatlantic ties between the aviation communities in North America and Europe,” explained Léonard, who recently was named to the Chairman and CEO position at EADS Socata. “Ashley and John were able to see that aviation has only one universal language, which is the shared passion for flight.”
The Young Eagles program is organized by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), and provides airplane rides for young aviation enthusiasts – as well as industry experience for promising future aerospace professionals. - 2 -
Ashley Leman is a student in Organizational Management at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, and holds a private pilot license with the ambition to be a career pilot. During the Young Eagles internship, she worked in the Customer Support department at EADS Socata’s Tarbes, France headquarters, and was able to contribute to the evolution of the company’s worldwide customer support program.
“I was able to learn about the importance of customer service, and to provide my own input as a future pilot and aircraft operator,” Ashley said. “Thank you, EADS Socata, for this unique experience.”
John Stains is an Engineering Science student in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. He has a commercial pilot’s license and hopes to work in aircraft design. At EADS Socata, John was assigned to the evaluation of new aircraft concepts in the company’s design office, where his technical English language skills were highly appreciated.
“My internship with EADS Socata gave me a real vision of the aerospace industry, and it surpassed all my expectations,” John explained. “I very much appreciated the openness and friendliness of everyone I worked with.”
Nicolas Chabbert, the Vice-President Sales & Marketing of EADS Socata, and President of EADS Socata North America, said the company was impressed by the motivation and enthusiasm of Ashley and John throughout their Young Eagles internship.
“We are excited about continuing this international program in 2008, and EADS Socata will be working with EAA President Tom Poberezny, EAA Vice President-Business Development Elissa Lines and Adam Smith, the EAA’s Vice President of Education Outreach, to make next year’s Young Eagles internship another success,” Chabbert added.
About EADS Socata
EADS Socata is one of the world’s leading general aviation manufacturers, with more than 17,000 aircraft built since its creation as Morane-Saulnier in 1911. Current products include the TBM family of high-speed turboprops, TB GT piston aircraft, aerostructures for Airbus civil airliners, the A400M military transporter, Dassault Falcon jets, Eurocopter helicopters and Embraer regional jets. EADS Socata is expanding its customer service activities, to support its growing fleet of TBM and offer its light aviation expertise for aircraft below 5.7 tons through avionics modernization, maintenance, repair and overall package offers. Headquartered in Tarbes, France, with North American operations in Pembroke Pines, Florida, EADS Socata is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS – - 3 - a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2006, EADS generated revenues of €39.4 billion and employs a workforce of about 116,000.
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About the EAA and the Young Eagles
The EAA Young Eagles program was launched in 1992 to give interested young people an opportunity to go flying in a general aviation airplane. It is a program of the Experimental Aircraft Association – an international aviation membership association founded in 1953 and headquartered in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. More than 170,000 people currently belong to EAA, with local Chapters located in all 50 states and many countries. Members are aviation enthusiasts of every age group, including many airline and commercial pilots, engineers, business people and astronauts.
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Contact for the media:
| Philippe de Segovia |
Tel.: +33 (0)6 70 21 70 47 www.socata.eads.net |
