“I grew up near Chambley,” confides Nathan Bricnet as if justifying the passion he has always had for “airplanes”. “The Mondial hot air balloon, of course, the small airplanes of the aeroclub, I’m interested in everything,” he reports. Even the “fall” of the Skylander, the Lorraine plane whose long-ago epic was followed by a very young man.
Thirst for technology that is constantly fed by air shows, trips back and forth, usually with family, to the Paris Air Show. But mechanics fascinates him even more than piloting, and young Lorraine imagines a career in maintaining part of the profession.
At a time when some people dream of being artists, he would like to be an “aeronautical technician on the runway”: “He is the one in charge of keeping the lights on the ground before and after the flight”, he already summarizes very well, knowledgeable about his subject.
Fortunately, the sector is alive and the opportunities are flowing. In the civilian or military field. “After the representatives of the 61e RA from Chaumont, the only regiment equipped with drones, we welcome the director Safran Florange who wants to introduce our students to these little-known occupations in the industry,” says the director of the Jean-Zay de Jarny high school, Philippe Vansteene.
Demilitarized devices
In first grade, Nathan divides his time between Jean-Zay High School, the flagship of the Great Aeronautics of Lorraine, where he is an intern at Jarny like all his classmates… and Chambley. Right there, close to the family home, he devotes part of his time to learning the trade through contact with airplanes or helicopters that are now out of use and available to students.
“These are demilitarized devices that are valuable for us to familiarize ourselves with technical gestures.” The school year includes an internship of several weeks in a professional environment. After the BA 113 from Saint-Dizier and its Rafales, this year interested parties will discover the BA 116 from Luxeuil and its Mirage 2000.
After graduating, Nathan plans an extra year to get an “additional aeronautical diploma” that will give him access to a license, a professional BTS, which he will prepare in three years alternating with a CFA, half time in the company. By then, he will no doubt have earned the Aviation Initiation Certificate that high school allows him to prepare for throughout his schooling.
Privileged connections with the military
Created ten years ago, the aeronautics sector has about a hundred students (out of about 500) from second to BTS. The establishment has increased its partnership with the military. Recently, a new agreement has linked her a bit more with the French Navy. Planned to last two years, it will lead to internships of four to six weeks.
In connection with this approach, Philippe Vansteene, director, likes to recall the existence of a modernized Super Standard aircraft, “a rare and precious piece of equipment”, in the Chambley hangar that serves as a technical platform. On this occasion, the head of the institution makes an appeal for donations: “We are taking airplanes for the training of our students”. The only aeronautical sector in Grand Est, the establishment is facing an influx of requests: “More than 600 at the BTS level. For only 15 free places. »