Listen to : “La menace sur Toussus le Noble”,  a “Chronique du Ciel”, told by Frédéric Béniada, a reporter for the franch radio “France Info”. On the radio’s website.

Local copy : toussus sur France Info-12-06-2011 (2Mo)

Here is a translation of the broadcast :

Located a dozen miles from Versailles, Airfield Toussus-Le-Noble was founded in 1907, more than a century. It is a center of aviation history, which once saw the flights of the Farman brothers, Roland Garros and Robert Esnault-Pelterie, pioneers of our aviation industry. At the time, Toussus was in the middle of a field. Three years ago, to celebrate the centenary of this mythical airport, a large meeting was held under the patronage of Valérie Pécresse, Minister of Education, but also and especially Deputy of the Yvelines district.

At the time, she touted advantages of this platform as wealth-creating economic, historical and cultural. But times have changed. Today, for some electoral interests, Valérie Pécresse, did not hesitate for a time, said publicly that the closure of the airfield Toussus-the-Noble was an option, and that business aviation airport, on the Saclay plateau, the future world-class location which will be consolidated by 2014 over 30 000 scientists, was not strategic.

And we’re talking about 700 direct and indirect jobs from the airfield Toussus-le-Noble. Without any consultation and to try to pick up a few local voices, Valérie Pécresse, has proposed to his colleague and friend, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, responsible for transport, to impose, by order, comparable to those constraints that prevent people mow their gardens at weekends outside of well-defined niche.

Measures, that Valerie Pécresse, wishes to apply immediately. The draft decree is in the office of Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet which would only sign, before implementation, probably in early July.

“Mr Gandil, the Director General of Civil Aviation, could only try to save the face. Given this situation, one could question the legality of this measure and the effective mobilization of local residents. A few months ago, extensive consultation was launched with 20 000 inhabitants, municipalities bordering Toussus-le-Noble on real inconvenience caused by airfield. The results are surprising”, Said Christine Ascione, president of the association to defend the airfield Toussus-le-Noble.

The problem also in this case is that advocates and users of the aerodrome are poorly organized and may not have actually measured the determination and the exasperation of the opponents of the platform Toussus-Le-Noble. Moreover, despite the development of flight restrictions for the noisiest aircrafts, its leading residents opposed to the survival of the airport, continues to claim the outright closure, without further ado.

Their argument in a few words, “the airport has no place here.” Amazing, that Valerie Pécresse, Minister for broader ambitions, has fallen into a trap so easy. But the damage is done. The case of Toussus-le-Noble, will create a precedent that could be fatal to other airports, other airports. But rest assured, it’s a safe bet that our ministers will show off next week in the corridors of the Paris Air Show, to praise the qualities of our aviation industry.