Par
Fabrice Cahen
Published on
Jan 26, 2025 at 7:52 a.m.
L’installation helicopters wake up the opponents nuisances at the Pontoise-Cormeilles aerodrome (Val-d'Oise). The sound of a twin-turbine rotor should appear in the skies of the French Vexin. The announcement was made by mayors during the traditional greeting ceremony.
The City of Paris having regained its rights to the airfield, several helicopter companies must be reclassified by the operator Paris Aéroport (Paris Airport group).
Asked to move its activity from the Issy-les-Moulineaux heliport (Hauts-de-Seine), a tourism and business company would establish itself, in March 2025, at the Pontoise-Cormeilles aerodrome.
The Hélifirst company chose to park three aircraft on the Val-d'Oise site (read below). Its arrival is already contested by municipalities and an association defending residents near the airfield.
For fifteen years we have been working to impose noise restrictions on the aerodrome and we have seen nothing succeed. In response, we are told of the arrival of a helicopter company
“We learn of this installation while we are in the middle of signing the charter of the Pnr (Regional Natural Park) of French Vexin,” says Christine Beis, who sits on the environmental advisory commission in the Val-d’ prefecture. Oise.
“We express our strong opposition,” announces the councilor.
A letter signed by twelve elected representatives of the territory was sent to Adp and motions have been adopted by municipal councils.
“For fifteen years we have been working to impose noise restrictions on the aerodrome and we have seen nothing succeed. In response, we are told of the arrival of a helicopter company,” protests Christine Beis who participated, in November 2024, in a meeting at the prefecture in the presence of the head of the company concerned.
We are sensitive to this emergence of noise through new flights over our villages.
Since the outcry from local residents, a working group would be formed around a restriction order “… subject to the favorable reception of the helicopter company”, nuance the mayor of Cormeilles-en-Vexin.
However, the Hélifirst company would use the aerodrome as a garage site for its aircraft. No commercial activity would take off from the platform. “Helicopters could still make flights from Issy-les-Moulineaux, but could no longer park there,” knows Christine Beis, who remains vigilant.
Mobilization planned
“We are in tune with elected officials and residents,” reacts Jean-Marc Buteux, president of Dirap, an association for the defense of the interests of residents of Pontoise aerodrome.
-“Ironically, in our draft flight restriction order, we mentioned the risk of helicopters arriving. We are in the middle of it, deplores the head of the association. We find it illogical to install helicopters on an airfield where local residents and elected officials are already complaining about the nuisance caused by planes. »
The opponents' fear concerns the risk of development of such an activity, a source of new noise pollution.
“It is the noisiest light aviation aircraft,” assures the president of Dirap.
Mobilizations are planned.
Rebecca Moreau, president of Hélifirst: “It is forced and forced that we settle in Pontoise”
She was invited to participate in an environment commission which was held in November 2024 at the Val-d'Oise prefecture.
Around the table, the general secretary of the prefecture, representatives of Paris Airport and the Dgac (General Directorate of Civil Aviation).
On this occasion, Rebecca Moreau, the president of the Hélifirst company, tried to reassure local elected officials worried by the arrival of a helicopter company at the Pontoise-Cormeilles aerodrome.
“Our activity has existed for 26 years at the Issy-les-Moulineaux heliport, but on July 9, 2024 the Council of State validated the transfer of the land to the City of Paris.
Since then, the hangar we occupy will be transformed into a sports and leisure space,” explains the business manager.
“With Adp and the Dgac we looked for a new destination for our activity. We would have liked to stay in the west of Paris for the comfort of our team.
The move to Toussus-le-Noble and Saint-Cyr (Yvelines) but also Lognes (Seine-et-Marne) was impossible due to a traffic and activity restriction incompatible with ours,” specifies Rebecca Moreau.
“Le Bourget airport was offered to us, but we refused due to too much restrictive business traffic. Adp then suggested Pontoise to us, which our pilots already know,” adds the director of Hélifirst.
“In Pontoise-Cormeilles, our presence will only be a rear base for our activity. There will be no commercial flights departing from the aerodrome. The helicopters will leave in the morning and return in the evening, or even the following days, depending on the needs of our customers,” wants to reassure the manager of the company which offers both flights over tourist sites, as well as site surveillance, image capture, television retransmission, etc.
The company bases its good faith on the vertical and geostationary takeoff mode of a helicopter as well as the choice of trajectory and overflight.
“We will have less impact than planes. Neither Boissy-L’Aillerie nor Génicourt will be flown over, promises Rebecca Moreau.
We are not here to create nuisance. It is forced and forced that we settle in Pontoi
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