Rafale and Business Jets: All in a Working Day

Some of the most riveting flying to be seen at Asian Aerospace 2000 can confidently be expected from Dassault test pilot Denis Garnier, at the helm of the Rafale interceptor/strike aircraft.

A married man with four children, and just a few days short of his 45th birthday, Garnier has been flying fighters for almost all of his working life. His 11 years as an operational French Air Force fighter pilot were followed by five years as a service test pilot before he joined Dassault in October 1991. Since l997 Garnier has been assigned to the Rafale program as demonstration pilot, while also doing much development flying on Dassault's Falcon range of business jets. Among the types he has flown are the T-33 Shooting Star, Mystere IVA, Jaguar, F/A-18 and, of course, various varieties of Mirage.

Experimental test flying and hot-ship demonstrations are unsurpassed for building great experience but, in commercial aviation terms, accrue time relatively slowly. Garnier has logged 4,400 hours.

By Bob Rodwell