History

Timeline

1. 1957

   Sud Aviation is formed

   Merger of SNCASE and SNCASO.

2. 1958

   Nord Aviation

   SNCAN becomes Nord Aviation.

3. 1959

   Caravelle enters service, SEREB founded

   First French short/medium-haul twinjet in airline service; SEREB is founded for ballistic systems.

   See the programme

4. 1962

   Concorde agreement

   Franco-British treaty for a supersonic transport aircraft.

   See the programme

5. 1963

   Transall first flight

   Franco-German military transport aircraft.

   See the programme

6. 1969

   Concorde 001 first flight

   In Toulouse, on 2 March 1969. The Airbus A300 programme is launched the same year.

   See the programme

7. 1970

   SNIAS is born

   Merger of Sud Aviation, Nord Aviation and SEREB on 1 January. Airbus Industrie consortium formed in December.

8. 1972

   A300 first flight

   The first twin-engine widebody.

   See the programme

9. 1976

   Concorde enters airline service

   Inaugural flights on 21 January 1976.

   See the programme

10. 1978

    Super Puma first flight

    Successor to the Puma, designed in Marignane.

    See the programme

11. 1979

    First Ariane launch

    From Kourou, on 24 December 1979.

    See the programme

12. 1981

    ATR is created

    Cooperation with Italy's Aeritalia on a regional turboprop.

    See the programme

13. 1984

    The Aérospatiale name

    The company adopts the short name Aérospatiale.

14. 1988

    Ariane 4 and ATR 72

    First Ariane 4 launch and ATR 72 first flight.

    See the programme

15. 1992

    Eurocopter is born

    Helicopter activities combined with DASA's.

    See the programme

16. 1999

    Aérospatiale-Matra

    Merger with Matra Hautes Technologies.

17. 2000

    EADS is created

    Aérospatiale-Matra, DASA and CASA join forces.

18. 2003

    Concorde retires

    End of commercial operations.

    See the programme