Aéroport du Bourget

Aéroport du Bourget
Name	Aéroport du Bourget
Nativename	Le Bourget Airport
Iata	LBG
Icao	LFPB
Type	Public / Business
Owner	Groupe ADP
City-served	Paris
Location	Le Bourget, Seine-Saint-Denis
Elevation-ft	217

Aéroport du Bourget is a historic airport located in Le Bourget, Seine-Saint-Denis, serving the Paris metropolitan area. Opened during the Aviation history era that included pioneers like Louis Blériot and Charles Lindbergh, the airport became a focal point for early air mail operations, airshows, and later for business aviation. It remains notable for its association with institutions such as the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace and events like the Paris Air Show.

History

The site opened during the era of Aviation in France and hosted milestones tied to figures such as Roland Garros, Jean Mermoz, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Pierre-Georges Latécoère and companies like Société des Avions Voisin and Farman Aviation Works. During the Interwar period it served Air France predecessors and saw flights to Toulouse, Marseille, and Nice as airlines such as Compagnie des Messageries Aériennes and CIDNA operated. In World War II the aerodrome was occupied by Luftwaffe units and later used by United States Army Air Forces and Royal Air Force elements; postwar reconstruction involved agencies like Ministry of Transport (France) and firms including Dassault Aviation. From the Cold War onward, the field transitioned from scheduled passenger operations to focus on business aviation and became home to the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace collections, retired airframes from Concorde, Douglas DC-3, and Sukhoi Su-27. The airport has been owned and managed through entities that evolved into Groupe ADP and has hosted VIP arrivals linked to Élysée Palace visits, United Nations delegations, and diplomatic missions like Embassy of the United States, Paris.

Facilities and Infrastructure

The aerodrome comprises runways, taxiways, hangars, and terminals developed with input from engineers associated with projects such as Aérospatiale and Airbus. Infrastructure includes fixed-base operators formerly run by companies like Signature Flight Support, maintenance facilities used by Dassault Falcon Service and TAT Maintenance Services, and business terminals catering to OEMs such as Gulfstream Aerospace, Bombardier Aerospace, and Cessna Aircraft Company. The site houses the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace exhibitions and conservation workshops preserving artifacts like a Sikorsky S-42, Breitling DC-3, and prototypes from Société Nationale Industrielle Aérospatiale. Air traffic control is coordinated with Charles de Gaulle Airport and Orly Airport via the DGAC and Eurocontrol systems; ground access links include A1 autoroute connections, the Le Bourget RER station, and proximity to the Gare du Nord rail hub.

Operations and Airlines

Operations focus on general aviation, business jet movements, governmental flights, and air shows. Operators historically present or active have included Air France corporate charters, Dassault Aviation test flights, Nord Aviation transports, and private operators representing manufacturers like Embraer, Piaggio Aerospace, and Hawker Beechcraft. The airport has hosted special flights by carriers such as British Airways for historic charters, diplomatic flights from Qatar Airways and Emirates delegations, and corporate shuttle operations by firms like TotalEnergies and LVMH. Fixed-base operators collaborate with international handlers including WFS (Worldwide Flight Services), Swissport, and bespoke concierge services used by delegations from International Monetary Fund and World Bank visitors.

Statistics and Economic Impact

Activity at the airport reflects business aviation trends tracked by organizations like International Civil Aviation Organization and International Air Transport Association. Movements include flights by models such as Bombardier Global Express, Gulfstream G650, Dassault Falcon 7X, and turboprops like the Beechcraft King Air. Economic impacts involve employment from entities including Groupe ADP, Airbus, Dassault, Safran, and MRO workshops, plus tourism revenue linked to visitors to the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace and the biennial Paris Air Show attendees from corporations such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Thales Group, Rolls-Royce Holdings, and General Electric. Local economic development intersects with regional authorities like Île-de-France and Région Île-de-France planning, and influences urban projects tied to the Grand Paris initiative.

Accidents and Incidents

Notable occurrences at the aerodrome and vicinity have involved aircraft types such as the Concorde (historic movements to and from the site), Douglas DC-3 operations, and business jets like the Falcon 20. Incidents have been investigated by agencies including the Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la sécurité de l'aviation civile and have involved responses from Sapeurs-pompiers de Paris, Préfecture de Police (Paris), and emergency services coordinated with hospitals like Hôpital Avicenne and Hôpital Bichat–Claude Bernard. Investigations reference standards from International Civil Aviation Organization annexes and French civil aviation regulations administered by DGAC.

Cultural and Event Uses

The airport grounds host the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Exhibition Centre with exhibitors including Airbus, Boeing, Dassault Aviation, Safran, and defense contractors like Thales Group and MBDA. The Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace stages exhibitions on pioneers such as Wright brothers, Louis Blériot, Eddie Rickenbacker, and displays including the Concorde prototype and artifacts connected to Space Shuttle era collaborations with NASA. Cultural events have drawn personalities like Jacques Chirac, cultural institutions such as Centre Pompidou for outreach, and media coverage by outlets including Le Monde, Le Figaro, France 24, and BBC News. The site has also been used for film shoots involving productions by companies like Gaumont Film Company and Pathé.

Category:Airports in Île-de-France