I discovered that the local council managing LFOO (a small uncontrolled airport on the atlantic coast, near an upscale sea resort) has a project to improve the airfield.
This project has started in 2016 and is estimated around 5 M€.
The project is to make larger aprons and car parks, a hard parallel taxiway, and slightly lengthen the runway (from ~700 to 750m). See a very complete study here
Picture :
Data point : in the report that the larger apron and the hard taxiway are estimated 900k€ each.
Some neighbors (the ones who bought houses below the circuit) are fighting against the project but the mayor seems very pro-GA.
Local news article
All this to say that even a wealthy and very pro-GA local entity has a very hard time for a good but not great airport development project.
The relocation of the airfield (“go make some noise over someone else” strategy) has been considered but would be impossible under the new law for natural surface protection. Even though 90% of the 32 ha of airport grounds are natural.
I often fly into Les Sables d’Olonne LFOO. It’s a nice little airfield with a friendly club.
Both a tarmac.and a grass strip. Approach to 24 shouldn’t give neighbours any problem as its over a quarry. Take off is over a few houses and a little tight for some aircraft in that they could easily upset the people living in them. Once passed them you are over the sea.
The airfield gives the lie to all French small airfields being deserted..In the summer months it is very busy with visitors, skydiving, banner towing activities.
There are nice beaches and good walks along the cliff tops. There are also many good restaurants in Les Sables d’Olonne.
Not far away is the town of Talmont St Hilaire with one of Richard Coeur de Lion’s (Richard the Lionheart) castle which has been under restoration for several years now and is well worth a visit for anyone interested in medievil history.
Talmont St Hilaire is also the location of the Vendée Airpark. IIRC it’s one of the first airparks in France.
I am curious to see how it’s going to evolve… current atmosphere is not very GA friendly and I’m afrais that all will vanish at the first petition.
But do we really need this kind of platform? The manager is looking for jets?
The manager is looking for jets?
Yep, that is the very first thought crossing my mind… the lure of easy dough. What benefit for the “poor” GA?
Same when I last was in Calais. Airport has seemingly been acquired by a group, having big expansion plans. Those will of course be associated higher fees and restrictions… do I want this? NO!
Do you want this?
I can’t see the advantage of jets at LFOO. There are already 3 airports capable of taking jets within a very short flight. ie LFRI, LFBH and LFRS. All have instrument approach procedures and all with runways capable of taking business jets.
There may of course be a need to make some changes for a jet prop for example or a Pilatus for skydiving. But for the life of me I cannot see LFOO becoming a base for the jet market. Whatever changes can be made for €5m.
Come on ! We spend pages here complaining about abandoned fields, fields that are closing, cities that don’t care, holes in tarmac, tiny aprons etc etc etc etc
I was expecting a more positive reaction !
Maybe the mayor wants to attact TBM and PC12s like Belle Ile, Quiberon, Ile D’Yeu etc then isn’t it a good thing ? Once 5M€ are invested, they will be less in a hurry to close and deprive us of a good destination.
Any way, it will remain an uncontrolled field close to the atlantic coast. Traffic will be much easier with a parallel taxiway and a parachutist pick-up stand. New fuel pumps. What are you asking for ? Free beer ?
@Jujupilote
One thing I learned thru life, the more so in aviation… there is no free lunch 
And so many sharks swimming circles.
I’ll certainly put that LFOO on my toflyto list.
Jujupilote wrote:
I was expecting a more positive reaction !Maybe the mayor wants to attact TBM and PC12s like Belle Ile, Quiberon, Ile D’Yeu etc then isn’t it a good thing ? Once 5M€ are invested, they will be less in a hurry to close and deprive us of a good destination.
the problem is, that nobody invests as much as a bag of peanuts without planning to get more monkeys to return that investment. And consequently, whenever an airfield makes those announcements that some prince charming investor will rescue it from the evil property sharks, they will end up rising fees and pushing out light GA and ULM’s in favour for jets and the occasional LCC.
Doesn’t have to be the case, but not unlikely.
On the other hand, it is perfectly clear that any sort of this development will make the future of the airport more secure, as not many will abandon an airfield which has just swallowed a few millions in investment easily. But these developments are clearly targeting other clients than light GA.
I have no problem with them adding a new taxiway. It needs one.
Improved parking, excellent.
Maybe an extra hangar or two and perhaps a restaurant, great.
After that how much is left of €5m to buy land which might be available if the quarry is closing to extend the runway to the North East. Land will not be cheap in this area and adding an extra few hundred metres to a hard runway will also not be cheap.
But who gains and what are the consequences. At the moment LFOO is a nice little aerodrome enjoyed by many.
Landing and parking fees are low if non existent. ( Because I am based at a local field I pay nothing but visitors from outside the Vendee may well pay).
I would welcome all the things above providing it doesn’t ruin a good thing.
The only reason one might have for your business jets would be the rich who visit once every few years to be feted at the beginning and end of the Vendée Globe yacht race.
@Dan LFOO is good to visit at any time but the launch of the Vendée Globe is a fun time and well worth coming if you have any interest in sailing.
