Press Release

Issued by SmartAir.

December 1, 2009

From the 1st of December 2009, Smart Air will occupy the key position of Chief Operating Officer with Jean-François Bacherot.

A graduate from the l'Ecole de l'air and a European engineer, Jean-François BACHEROT began his career as a fighter pilot in the French Air Force and then, as an exchange officer, in the Royal Air Force.  He participated in several multinational operations and exercises and has been in command of several air units on Jaguar and Mirage 2000. 

In his capacity as senior officer and later as general officer, he occupied various institutional functions that were linked to flight safety, audit and inspection, organization and conduct of change, strategic matters, international relations, and particularly in matters concerning NATO, the E.U., the UN and the United States.  He held the function of defence attaché at the French embassy in Canada. 

More recently, he was in charge of the communication and information systems, air traffic control and air-defence command of the French Air Force, then inspector of nuclear armaments for the President of the Republic.  Jean-François BACHEROT attended the 53rd Institut des hautes études de défense nationale course in Paris.

An aviation enthusiast, he organized and supervised several international air shows, and exercised the function of commentator at the International Paris Air Show. Member of the Aéro-club de France, he has been a private and commercial pilot since 1974 and 1980 respectively and still exercises the honorary function of general secretary for an aviation club.  He logged more than 3'700 flying hours on more than 30 different types of airplanes.