Étienne Tarnowski passes away

The Air & Space Academy is deeply saddened to announce the death on October 14, 2025 of Mr. Étienne TARNOWSKI, former Airbus experimental test pilot and honorary member of the Academy.

Born on March 18, 1946 in Loches (Indre-et-Loire), Étienne TARNOWSKI has devoted his entire career to the service of French and European aeronautics.

An alumnus of the École de l’Air (class of 1967), he obtained his transport pilot’s license in 1970, before continuing his training at Supélec (1974) and EPNER (1976). A test pilot at the Centre d’Essais en Vol de Brétigny, he joined SAGEM in 1981, where he managed the Jaguar program for India.

In 1982, he joined Airbus, where he made a lasting impact on the history of flight testing and air safety. Starting out as a test pilot, he went on to become Project Pilot A340/A330, and in 1994 founded an operational liaison group between Airbus, airlines and professional bodies.

He then held a number of key positions: deputy aircraft operations manager to Alain Garcia in 1996, founder of the Airbus Human Factors group in 1997, and Senior Director Training Policy in 1998. In 2001, he returned to the Flight Test Department to help define numerous new operational systems (TCAS, CFIT Autorecovery, RNP, ATM/FANS, HUD, EVS, etc.) and liaise with airlines, training departments and international bodies such as the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF), IATA, SAE and IFALPA.

Elected a full member of theAir & Space Academy on June 19, 2006, Étienne TARNOWSKI became an honorary member on December 31, 2021. He belonged to Section 3.

The Academy pays tribute to the memory of a test pilot of the highest calibre, always ready to listen to others, whose skill and passion contributed to lasting progress in the safety and performance of air transport through the Airbus aircraft to which he contributed.

The Académie de l’Air et de l’Espace sends its most sincere condolences to his family and friends, and to all those who worked alongside him.