A promising initiative is taking shape in Nantes in the aviation training and heritage preservation sector. Last April, a partnership agreement was sealed between the École Internationale TUNON de Nantes, renowned for its training programs for aviation professions, and the Amicale du Super Constellation (Friends of the Super Constellation Association). This agreement will place students at the very center of the European Heritage Days (JEP) in September 2025.
École Internationale TUNON, located in Saint-Herblain within the Eurocampus, has been training future professionals in the aviation, tourism, events, and hospitality sectors since 1964. Its programs dedicated to aviation, such as the "Tourism & Aviation Assistant" course, notably prepare students for the Cabin Crew Attestation (CCA), a state diploma essential for working as Cabin Crew (PNC) in France. The school emphasizes practical experience, integrating long internship periods, and has already demonstrated its students' commitment to aeronautical heritage, notably through support actions for the preservation of historic aircraft like the Super Constellation.
As part of this new partnership, students from the Nantes school will play an active and leading role during the European Heritage Days 2025, which will be held on September 20th and 21st. While the general theme is "Architectural Heritage," the event traditionally includes numerous technical and industrial sites. They will welcome the public and conduct safety demonstrations on board the Super Constellation F-BGNJ, which will be showcased for the occasion. This mission represents an exceptional opportunity for these future hosts and hostesses to concretely apply the skills they've learned, ranging from passenger management to safety procedures, in a context that is both real and historic.
This dive into aviation history offers a fascinating insight into the evolution of air travel. In the golden age of the Super Constellation, during the 1950s and 1960s, a long-haul flight mobilized a substantial technical crew. Alongside the captain and co-pilot, there was a flight engineer, essential for monitoring the four powerful piston engines, as well as a navigator and a radio operator, indispensable for oceanic crossings before the advent of modern navigation systems. In the cabin, where the F-BGNJ could accommodate up to ten crew members depending on its configuration, hostesses and stewards attended to passenger comfort, embodying the elegance and prestige of transatlantic voyages. While safety was a concern, the training and role of cabin crew at that time differed significantly from current standards. The emphasis was heavily on personalized service and image, with often very strict recruitment criteria. Today, although service excellence remains, the role of Cabin Crew is above all that of a safety technician. Their training, certified by the CCA, is extremely rigorous and focused on managing emergency situations, first aid, and security – aspects that were far less formalized and prominent in the initial training of the 1960s.
For the TUNON School students, this project is intended to be "enriching and meaningful," allowing them to develop their professional skills while actively contributing to the promotion of aeronautical heritage. École Internationale TUNON is not only providing human resources through the volunteer work of its interns; it is also financially committed to this collaboration, highlighting its investment in the event's success and in the experiential training of its students.
This alliance between a training institution and our association offers a dynamic showcase for aviation professions while supporting the transmission of aeronautical history to a wide audience. An initiative that will undoubtedly give wings to both students and heritage.
Photos Ecole Tunon - Madame Lesage
