With the holiday season fast approaching, Hangar Mercure was transformed into a Christmas village for a day, with Santa Claus stopping by JJGK Aero. The festivities began in the morning. Our employees shared a warm and friendly moment with the traditional Secret Santa. Surprises and laughter punctuated the unwrapping of gifts. The afternoon was a special time for families, who were able to enjoy themselves with their children, spouses, and colleagues. While the more energetic ones had fun playing games and jumping on inflatable castles, the more creative ones took part in the creative workshop and made Christmas decorations to hang on the tree. This interlude was an opportunity for the youngest to transform themselves into their favorite characters and heroes thanks to the face painting workshop, while the older and more indulgent lingered in front of the crepe and hot chocolate stand. The day ended in the best possible way with the distribution of gifts. Cet événement était aussi l’occasion de remercier chaleureusement les équipes pour leur engagement et leur travail tout au long de l’année écoulée.

In October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we organized an awareness workshop for our employees. The goal? To encourage open discussion, provide information on life-saving actions, and remind everyone of the importance of screening. Breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death among women in France, with 12,000 deaths per year (source: National Cancer Institute). However, when detected early, it can be cured in 9 out of 10 cases. Faced with these figures, we wanted to take concrete action by offering our teams a time for discussion and information. The workshop served as a reminder of simple but vital actions: Beyond providing information, this workshop was an opportunity to: At JJGK Aero, we believe that the health of our teams is a priority. This workshop is part of a broader approach to well-being at work.

On Sunday, October 5, 2025, the streets of Salon-de-Provence came alive with the footsteps of thousands of runners who had come to take on a sporting challenge: the Salon-de-Provence Marathon. Among them, three JJGK Aero employees embodied the values of passion and teamwork that drive our company every day. Mélanie, Patrick, and Yannick each chose their distance—half-marathon or marathon—to represent our team on the legendary tracks of Air Base 701 and through the city’s iconic streets. One event, four challenges This year, the organizers of the Salon-de-Provence Marathon offered four courses suitable for all skill levels: It was in these last two events that our three athletes decided to take on the challenge. Profiles of Our Runners Mélanie, Patrick, and Yannick As an accounting manager at JJGK Aero, Mélanie crossed the finish line of the half-marathon in 2:12:38—a time that reflects her precision and dedication. For her, this challenge was an opportunity to step outside her comfort zone and demonstrate that it is possible to balance a professional career with a passion for sports. A warehouse clerk and participant in the Paris Olympics “Marathon for All,” Patrick completed the 42.195 km in 3:48:30, placing in the top quarter of finishers. A remarkable performance for this running enthusiast, who combines endurance with daily logistics management. Yannick, who has been a site manager at JJGK Aero for six months, is a seasoned marathon runner. Despite a time of 5:07:35, he managed his effort wisely, taking in every kilometer to savor the event’s unique atmosphere. Huge congratulations to them for brilliantly rising to this challenge!

A historical exhibition in Saint-Tropez During the summer and fall of 2021, the citadel of Saint-Tropez was adorned with Keith Haring’s dynamic, brightly colored forms. Organized by the Keith Haring Foundation, in collaboration with Doriano Navarra (director of the Galerie Enrico Navarra) and Sébastien Moreu, this outdoor exhibition featured seven sculptures, including six monumental works and the famous Pop Shop Tokyo. For nearly five months, these works were an integral part of the Mediterranean landscape, attracting thousands of visitors and celebrating the artist’s timeless legacy. A technical challenge worthy of the art In 2022, JJGK Aero had the honor and responsibility of taking in three of these iconic sculptures to give them a new lease on life. After months of outdoor display, the works required meticulous restoration to restore their original luster. Thus, between January and November 2022, three sculptures successively arrived at our workshops: These sculptures, with their impressive dimensions (up to 5.28 meters long, 4.12 meters high, and 3.07 meters wide), presented both a logistical and artistic challenge. Thanks to our exceptionally large paint booth, our expert painters were able to work with precision on every detail, preserving Keith Haring’s vibrant colors and signature lines. Every step of the process was carried out with the utmost care to restore these works’ visual power and artistic integrity. Keith Haring left his mark on art history with his unique style and social activism. Restoring his sculptures means preserving cultural heritage while allowing new generations to discover his work. At JJGK Aero, we are proud to have contributed to this mission by combining our passion for art with our technical expertise.

Back to the brazier! 🔥 Last Wednesday, our employees gathered for a lunch unlike any other. To celebrate the arrival of spring, we organized a warm and friendly gathering around a giant brazier measuring over 1.5 meters in diameter. Under the spring sunshine, our employees enjoyed a meal carefully prepared by José Fenoll and his team. On the menu: delicious meats, grilled vegetables, fries, and local mussels. This shared moment was an opportunity to strengthen bonds, build team cohesion, and create new shared memories. ☀️

At the end of April, Alexis Tierny, Associate Director, accompanied by Mourad Nasri, Paint Manager, and Florian Morata, Paint BT Agent, visited the BA 125 for a special tour. They were welcomed by lieutenant-colonel Delaye, who is in charge of restoring the BA 125 Museum, with a specific project in mind: to restore a symbol of the French Air Force, which will celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2024. In June, the rudder of Mirage IV n° 57 was brought from BA 125 to our facilities to spend the summer and regain its original aesthetics. For three months, our teams worked on its restoration. After being stripped, it was then handed over to Thierry, our sheet metal manager, to perfect the structure and achieve a unique finish before being entrusted again to our paint team. This time, the legendary rudder will receive layers of P50, P05, and CA primers before the final paint job, which will recall the emblematic colors of the French Republic, and a varnish. Finally, on Monday, December 9, 2024, during the inauguration evening in front of the members of the RAPACE125, the Mirage IV rudder was revealed. A big thank you to our teams in charge of the project who have beautifully restored this symbol of aviation.

Thursday was a big day for H225 Airbus Helicopters and its return in offshore operation. It’s during dawn that the first Westair Helicopters operated H225, maintained by JJGK Aero, flew off from Istres to Namibia. The crew, composed by Westair’s pilots and JJGK Aero technicians, will pass through Spain and Africa before arriving in windhoek Namibia. JJGK Aero is proud to be part of the aircraft development in collaboration with Westair for the Oil & Gas sector.

Yesterday, Santa Claus made an appearance in our premises! For the joy of young and old alike, the magic of Christmas was once again present at JJGK AERO. Amidst castles and inflatable games, some of the children were having fun while others were at the creative workshop coloring or drawing. Meanwhile, at the face painting stand, many children were lining up for the chance to become a fox or Spider-Man, while the more indulgent ones enjoyed crêpes and hot chocolate with their families. To wrap up this beautiful afternoon, Santa Claus, dressed in his finest coat, handed out gifts. This convivial moment is a wonderful way to thank our teams, and conclude a year filled with projects.

Looking back on the VSM day. On October 7th, at the Jean Sarrail Aeronautical Center in Istres, our team participated in an immersive “Sea Survival” training session organized by VSM Training Services. Created 37 years ago, VSM is a Small-Medium Company located on the Pôle Aéronautique d’Istres, offering formations to aircraft’s crew members through real time simulation of specific situations like “Survival at Sea”. In a wave pool, plunged into darkness and under a simulated storm, Olivier Long, a B1.3 mechanic who joined us this summer, rose to the challenge successfully escaping from a submerged cabin.

As part of the dismantling of an H225, the JJGK-AERO team is working on various stages: dismantling the tail boom, testing the gauge rods and validating the electronic box of the emergency buoyancy system are on the day’s test programme.