Thierry Dubois is a freelance writer specializing in helicopters, business aviation and aerospace technology. He earned a degree in fluid dynamics from an engineering school in Toulouse, France in the mid-1990s. At an unexpected crossroads, he found his first job in journalism. In 1997, he started working for French aerospace weekly Air &amp; Cosmos in Paris. This lasted until 2000, when he moved south to Lyons. He then became a freelancer, working for various aerospace publications and has been part of the AIN team since late 2000. In addition to writing about business aviation, Thierry shares responsibility for the rotorcraft section. He also is a regular on-site writer for AIN’s daily editions at international airshows such as the Paris, Farnborough, Dubai and Singapore shows, as well as at EBACE in Geneva.
In 2007, he won the Honeywell award for “Best systems or technology submission” at the Aerospace journalist of the year awards. In 2013, he won an Aerospace Media Award for the "Best Safety, Training &amp; Simulation Submission."
In other activities, Thierry moderates international conferences on aviation technology topics. Thierry is married and has three children, who seem to begin enjoying the mountains–as their parents do.

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Thierry Dubois

The Dassault family again holds the majority share of Dassault Aviation, with 50.01 percent of the French aircraft manufacturer’s stock. The announcement was made May 29 after the French Conseil des Marchés financiers (financial markets council) received a letter from Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault (GIMD)–the Dassault family’s investment structure–stating that it had accumulated more than 50 percent of both the shares and the voting rights in Dassault Aviation. GIMD previously held 49.93 percent of the company.
To increase its share above 50 percent, GIMD bought some 8,100 shares on the stock market for about €3 million ($2.76 million). GIMD made its move at a time when the French press is reporting the possibility of further consolidation in the European aerospace industry.
The other major shareholder in Dassault Aviation’s capital is European aerospace giant EADS, which holds 45.76 percent. The floating part of the shares is now 4.23 percent.
In an interview with the French financial daily Les Echos on May 31, Dassault Aviation CEO Charles Edelstenne said, “We wanted to clearly affirm that, from now on, the group has full control of its destiny. Now the Dassault group has a clear majority. We used to be a target; now the situation has dramatically changed.”
For a long time Dassault Aviation has been striving to remain independent. Political pressure and European consolidation made it challenging not to be merged into fully or partially state-owned companies. Several French government officials failed in their previous attempts to merge Dassault Aviation into Aerospatiale.
Asked whether the company would be able to weather a long downturn in French defense budgets, Edelstenne answered, “We have no intention to abandon our military business either in the short, mid- or long term. Our success in the civil business ensures the military business is sustainable.” Since 1997 Falcon business jet sales have accounted for 48 to 76 percent of the company’s revenues.
Until 1998 the owner of EADS’ 45.76-percent share was the French government. It then transferred these shares to Aerospatiale. At the time a “shareholders pact” prohibited any sale or purchase of Dassault Aviation shares from either the Dassault family or Aerospatiale. The pact was invalidated when Aerospatiale, DASA and CASA formed EADS in 1999. From that time on, GIMD was free to buy shares available on the open market.

Dassault family again in control of company

The Dassault family again holds the majority share of Dassault Aviation, with 50.01 percent of the French aircraft manufacturer’s stock.

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