A new project defended to “save the Deaux aerodrome”

Mickaël Théry, Pascal Doret et Jean-Luc Laurier, une partie du noyau dur de l’aéro-club de Deaux. Midi Libre – Alexis BETHUNE

L’aéroclub de Deaux veut porter devant la CCI, propriétaire de l’aérodrome situé aux portes d’Alès, une alternative qui pourrait, selon lui, résoudre l’ancienne problématique de la vente du site.

There is little activity on the runway of the Deaux aerodrome on these winter days. The aeroclub's planes are on the ground on Tuesday, January 21, but a civil security helicopter is flying over the Ales runway. “They are doing training maneuvers,” explains Jean-Luc Laurier, secretary of the Alès Cévennes aeroclub. This happens often. In the summer, they even come to refuel every day at the aerodrome.

Providing a strategic position at the gates of Alès for rescue and intervention teams is one of the key arguments of the aeroclub to defend the sustainability of the structure in the face of the sale project supported by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Gard (CCI), its owner. A file that is already ten years old despite previous discussions with potential buyers. Several of the files, at the time, had proposed the disappearance of the aerodrome, potentially replaced by a field of photovoltaic panels. To date, the sale of the aerodrome is estimated at 2.1 million euros.

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A new project with private stakeholders

Determined to “save” this facility, the aeroclub recently created the association for the integration and defense of the Alès-Deaux aerodrome (AIDAA), in order to “bring together all the individuals and legal entities attached to the aerodrome”, according to Pascal Doret, vice-president of the aeroclub. Through this new structure, he and the other members, for a few weeks, a project “new and which could suit all parties” : the takeover of the site by a group of private companies.

To date, “four companies, all located in the Alès basin, have declared themselves ready to invest in buying the aerodrome from the CCI, and even to contribute to its development.” Companies that want to remain anonymous during the negotiations, but whose “activities are linked to aeronautics, or require the use of the aerodrome”. Calls have been launched among the entrepreneurs of the Basin in the hope of bringing more around the project.

In this buyout project, the aeroclub could thus, for its part, remain on site, and even continue to contribute to its development, “to the extent of its means”. “Today, 60% of our flights are training flights,” says Mickaël Thery. We have former students who are now pilots at Airbus and major airlines.”Added to the “evidence” of the aerodrome as a support base for airborne rescue teams, although the facility can no longer supply water to bomber planes, the training aspect of the aerodrome is a part that the club dreams of seeing expand: “Companies ready to buy the aerodrome are also keen to develop training courses for mechanics and other professions related to aeronautics here.”

Hopes and fears

A few days ago, a presentation of the project was sent to Eric Giraudier, president of the CCI. A meeting has been set with him for February 7. In the meantime, the aero club continues to hope for a brighter future for the site: “There is a lot of development in the world of small category civil aviation, indicates Pascal Doret. Starting with the twenty-passenger aircraft, which are very low pollutants and could make short trips in the region. If this develops, Alès also has everything to gain with a local runway.”

The club is also worried about a decision in October 2024 by the Deaux municipal council, authorizing its mayor, Didier Salles, to potentially sign a sales agreement for the aerodrome with the CCI. This is causing them to fear a new project to destroy the site to turn it into a solar power plant. “But before buying it, the town hall must conduct a multi-year impact study on its financing because it does not have the necessary means”, points out Pascal Doret, who indicates that the group of private individuals that he supports would be prepared to go beyond the currently estimated price.

Contacted, the Gard CCI has not yet responded to our requests. A future exchange must also be carried out with the mayor of Deaux. I subscribe to read the rest