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| Amiens–Glisy Airport | |
|---|---|
| Name | Amiens–Glisy Airport |
| Nativename | Aéroport d'Amiens - Glisy |
| IATA | QXB |
| ICAO | LFAY |
| Type | Public / Military (historic) |
| City-served | Amiens, Somme |
| Location | Glisy |
| Elevation-f | 215 |
| Elevation-m | 66 |
| Runway1 number | 06/24 |
| Runway1 length-f | 7,218 |
| Runway1 length-m | 2,200 |
| Runway1 surface | Asphalt |
Amiens–Glisy Airport is a regional airport serving Amiens, the prefecture of the Somme in Hauts-de-France. Located in the commune of Glisy, the airport has been used for civilian aviation, aeroclub operations, and saw major military activity during the Second World War and the Cold War. It functions today primarily for general aviation, flight training, and occasional charter operations linked to regional transport nodes such as Lille, Paris and Calais.
The airfield originated in the interwar period near Amiens and expanded during the Second World War when it was seized by the German Luftwaffe during the Battle of France. Occupation-era development connected the aerodrome to operations supporting the Western Front and the Battle of Britain aftermath; elements of the Wehrmacht and units involved in Operation Overlord movements were staged in the region. Following liberation by Allied forces during campaigns associated with the Battle of Normandy, the field was repaired by units aligned with the Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Forces to support tactical operations near the Somme.
In the postwar era, administration transferred to French civil authorities, paralleling developments in other provincial aerodromes such as Le Touquet–Côte d'Opale Airport and Beauvais–Tillé Airport. During the Cold War, the site retained auxiliary military utility tied to NATO logistics and French air defense restructuring under figures like Charles de Gaulle, while regional civil aviation organisations, including local chapters of the Aéro-Club de France, established flight training bases. The airport's trajectory mirrored regional transport policy debates involving Hauts-de-France authorities and municipal stakeholders from Amiens Métropole.
The airport comprises a single asphalt runway 06/24 suitable for light and medium aircraft, along with parallel taxiways, apron space, and hangars used by private operators and aero clubs. Onsite infrastructure includes flight training facilities affiliated with local aviation schools and repair workshops analogous to maintenance operations at Le Bourget Airport but on a smaller scale. Navigation aids historically included non-directional beacons and local VFR patterns; infrastructure upgrades have been periodically funded through regional bodies such as Somme councils and intercommunal organisations coordinated with French transport oversight.
Support amenities encompass a terminal building for passenger processing during charter peaks, fuel services, and control services proportional to general aviation needs; these are comparable to facilities at other regional hubs like Châlons Vatry Airport and Rouen – Vallée de Seine Airport. Environmental and land‑use planning around the field interfaces with regional conservation efforts in Hauts-de-France and municipal zoning in Glisy.
Scheduled commercial airline presence has been intermittent; the aerodrome mainly hosts charter operations, business aviation, and aero club traffic. Historically, temporary seasonal links and charter flights have connected the site with national points such as Paris-Orly Airport and international gateways like London–Gatwick Airport during event-based demand, while operators similar to regional carriers in France have intermittently trialed routes. The contemporary pattern emphasizes general aviation, air taxi services, and ad hoc corporate flights rather than permanent scheduled networks, placing it alongside comparable regional fields like Saint-Nazaire Montoir Airport.
Traffic volumes are predominantly composed of light aircraft movements, flight training circuits, and occasional business charters; annual movements and passenger figures are modest compared with national airports such as Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport and Paris-Orly Airport. Statistical reporting is conducted by local authorities and national aviation agencies, with trends influenced by factors affecting regional airports across France—including shifting demand in regional tourism, corporate travel patterns, and policies affecting general aviation. Peak activity often coincides with airshows and commemorative events tied to the Battle of the Somme centenaries and other historical commemorations.
Ground access to the aerodrome connects via departmental roads to Amiens city centre, linking to rail services at Amiens station which provides connections on lines towards Paris and Lille. Road links facilitate transfers to regional motorways such as the A16 autoroute and coordinated shuttle services are arranged during special events with municipal partners from Amiens Métropole. Local taxi operators, car rental agencies, and private transfer services provide the predominant means for passengers to reach nearby urban centres including Amiens, Albert and Péronne.
Over its operational life the aerodrome has experienced a small number of incidents typical of regional fields, involving general aviation aircraft during takeoff or landing phases and occasional mechanical failures similar in nature to events catalogued by national safety bodies such as the Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile. Notable episodes have drawn interest from local media in Amiens and prompted reviews by civil aviation authorities, echoing safety investigations conducted at comparable sites such as Le Mans-Arnage Airport.
Category:Airports in Hauts-de-France Category:Buildings and structures in Somme (department)