Flight restrictions in and around urban areas; Issy-les-Moulineaux seems to be targeted. Operators in Paris live in difficult times. Under the disapproval of resident associations and with the arrival of a new decree, operators are trying, with the support of various trade groups, to fight for the survival of their helicopter activities. Between economic necessity and political/environmental issues, a new evaluation of strategic decisions for the future of helicopter platforms in Paris and Ile-de-France is being made.
On October 20, decree 2010-1226, published in the official journal on October 21, specified the latest provisions on the limitation of helicopter traffic in high population density areas. Primary objective: limit noise pollution. Training flights, nonstop sightseeing flights, sightseeing flights with a stopover of less than one hour and engine tests are no longer possible for professional operators. Only aircraft carrying out medical or humanitarian missions, personal or property protection missions or military aircraft and government missions are not subject to this new decree.
© Christophe Kermarrec
Decrease in traffic at Issy-les-Moulineaux
Traffic has already been limited since the decrees from August and December 1994 allowing only seventy aircraft movements, outside of humanitarian or medical flights on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. And, because of the location of the heliport, some routes were and are still forbidden with highly regulated departure and return trajectories. Ultimately, it is expected that the number of flights at Issy-les-Moulineaux will decrease from 12,000 to 3000 per year by 2014. Only « public service » and emergency missions will be maintained. This decision was taken notably because of the location of the Defense Ministry’s future headquarters, the « Pentagon à la française, » which will be at Balard. Safety and noise pollution: these are the main causes cited to justify the reduction in helicopter traffic in the Paris metropolitan area. These changes are desired by the government and are sought after by resident associations whose main spokespeople are Jean-François Lamour and the mayor of Paris’s XV arrondissement.
An indignant profession
Greeted with circumspection, the reduction in the number and type of flights has the profession concerned. « These new regulations work against the development of this activity, » Parisian operators complained.
The facts are that the helicopter industry directly accounts for more than 30,000 jobs in France, to which it is necessary to consider the many jobs it creates indirectly. At the only heliport in Paris, 300 jobs are directly threatened and 1,000 jobs are indirectly threatened. « Restrictions that will impact the future of the profession, » noted the SNEH (Syndicat national des exploitants d’hélicoptères which is the national union of helicopter operators) and the UFH (Union française de l’hélicoptère which is the French helicopter union). However, while the banner of the noise pollution argument is brandished by the opponents of helicopter flights, it is undermined by studies conducted at the Onera (Office national d’études et de recherches aéronautiques which is the national office for studies and aeronautical research) over many years. These studies highlight that a latest generation helicopter is quieter than a car or a scooter driving on the street, not to mention the highway surrounding Paris that borders the heliport to the north.
© Christophe Kermarrec
Caught between the need to work towards sustainable development and inclined, nevertheless, to improve service to Paris, the former Secretary of State for Transport, Dominique Bussereau, had wanted to move quickly by announcing discussions with municipalities and resident associations about the new areas planned to accommodate helicopter traffic.
To offset the reduction in flights at the heliport in Issy-les-Moulineaux and to deploy flights more harmoniously over Paris, Dominique Bussereau had proposed two new landing areas around Paris. The government also studied various sites for a possible implantation in Paris and its suburbs, including one to the north, near the Porte d’Aubervilliers (XVIII and XIX arrondissement) and another to the east near Bercy (XII arrondissement).Other sites considered for the implantation of a new heliport are: La Défense and between Gennevilliers and Villeneuve-la-Garenne. These projects do not satisfy either the new municipalities concerned, or the operators.
And tomorrow …?
What is certain, if we simply compare Paris with a few large cities in the world, is that the capital no longer seems to be claiming an international stature, as can be seen with the new decree and the series of measures taken. Faced with rising helicopter traffic recorded in Brazil and the United States, France, and notably Paris, are looking pale. The SNEH is not hiding its desire to take drastic action during the Paris Air Show in June. Some members of the organization are making it known that they intend to stop shuttles between Issy-les-Moulineaux and the heliport du Bourget throughout the show. This would be significant since there were about 100 flights during the 2009 show. With the government ministry reorganization and the arrival of Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet Minister for Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing, the continuation of the project and defending the helicopter sector may not be as easy; Nathalie Kosciuko-Morizet being the daughter of the Mayor of Meudon, a leading opponent of the heliport in Paris. In any case, what is certain, given the stances that have been taken, is that the standoff between government and resident associations on the one hand, and operators and trade groups on the other hand, is far from being resolved. And the issue of air traffic around Paris is not yet closed.
