To strengthen its leadership, should Toulouse create an aeronautical campus?
Toulouse in the world’s top 5 best aeronautical training? The creation of a campus bringing together ISAE-Supaero and ENAC could propel the pink city to the top of this sector. It is that present the information report, led by the deputies Sylvie Pinel (PRG) and Jean-Luc Lagleize (Modem) and presented on Wednesday January 12 at the Economic Affairs Committee of the National Assembly.
The report of a hundred pages is the result of meticulous work, which began on June 15th. The study was fed by the hearings of many specialists such as sociologists, economists, NGOs, start-ups, airlines, airport operators, but also major aviation players such as Airbus, ATR, Saffron, and finally policies.
Compete with American schools
France represents approximately 22% of the global aerospace market, a substantial part of this industry. French aeronautical schools such as ISAE-Supaero or ENAC, are noted in an international ranking. On a national scale, the two teams from Toulouse occupy the first two places in the standings, while globally they are not in the top 10.
These international rankings attract the best global talent to our schools. We have very high level schools, but which are dispersed in this communication battle to welcome the best students. During the hearing, we spoke with the Toulouse teams. By making a common banner, they would appear higher in the rankings and they could enter the top 5 in the world. This would strengthen French leadership,” said Jean-Luc Lagleize, MoDem MP for Haute-Garonne, interviewed by L’Opinion Indépendante.
Competition in this sector also exists within the European Union itself. Indeed, the report written by Sylvia Pinel (MP for Tarn-et-Garonne) and Jean-Luc Lagleize reveals that the Technical University of Munich in Germany was established Aeronautics department, funded to the tune of 700 million euros by the Land of Bavaria. To cope with European and global competition, the elected representatives of the South-West considered that the creation of this reference center in terms of aeronautical training is a need.
Toulouse courses always attract students
Throughout the pages of this report, the two deputies note “the occurrence of the health crisis and the consequences of climate change could lead to re-examining the attractiveness of the aeronautical and aerial professions”.
A question that does not have an impact, to date, on the attractiveness of the major aeronautical schools. Efficiency, ISAE-Superaero remains the fifth most requested school in engineering school competitions in France, on the aerospace engineering course. “In addition, of the 830 students recruited in 2021, 40% come from abroad, which testifies to the international influence of the school”, underlines the report. Same return on the side of the ENAC where about a thousand students continue to apply for only twenty places.
Aeronautics stronger than the crisis
Despite the health crisis that has upset the aviation sector, the latter has been able to bounce back. Indeed, Airbus signs a record year 2021 with cascading aircraft purchases. Environmental issues do not seem to be holding back aeronautics either.
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The plane is an essential means of transport on the planet. Some continents cannot do without a plane, like South America, South Asia with its archipelago or even China, which has the largest number of domestic flights”, specifies the deputy MoDem of the second constituency of Haute-Garonne.
He continues: “The flight bashing practically only exists in France and Northern Europe. It is maintained by NGOs from North America. They come to criticize Airbus and everything that happens in Toulouse. They obviously don’t have the same concern as Boeing in Seattle. Why criticize the Paris-Toulouse flights and not what is happening at Boeing or in China. The question is valid.”