A former director of civil aircraft and also a director of Falcon Jet Corporation, Bernard Latreille was responsible for the launch of the Falcon 50, 900 and 2000 programmes.
Having joined the École Polytechnique in 1952, he then entered the corps of Air Force military engineers and was assigned to the CEV (State flight test center), with the equipment testing department. At this time, modern equipment was being developed for aircraft programs using increasingly complex systems: Breguet Atlantic, Mirage IV, Mirage III R and Mirage III E. Being responsible for development testing of the navigation and bombing system for the Mirage IV, he also took over management of the equipment department.
After eight years at the flight test center, he asked to be assigned to the General Secretariat of Civil Aviation in October 1965.
He joined Dassault in 1972, in the civil aircraft department. He was in charge of the Mercure transport aircraft program in particular. He was appointed Director of Civil Aircraft in 1975, a position he held until 1992. In this position, he was also manager of the Falcon Jet Corporation (1978 – 1992). It was under his direction that the Falcon 50, 900 and 2000 programs were launched.
Bernard Latreille died at the age of 89 on 28 January 2021. He was a chief engineer of the French armament, a knight of the Legion of Honour and holder of the Aeronautics Medal.
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