Bordeaux-Merignac Airport

Eight weeks of work scheduled from 27 June.

Traffic transferred to the secondary runway.

As part of its airport infrastructure maintenance mission, Bordeaux Mérignac Airport is launching work
on a full upgrade of its main runway (“05/23”) on 27 June for eight consecutive weeks. The work corresponds to the penultimate and largest phase in the airport’s Infrastructure and Lighting Master Plan for the period 2008-2012. Considerable human and material resources are being brought into action on this project which has been in preparation for more than one year. Here are a few figures to give an idea of the scale of the works:

-worksite area: 3,100 metres long x 60 metres wide (shoulders included)

-210,000m² to be planed,

-replacement of almost 800 light fixtures,

-110 kilometres of cabling,

-2 mobile asphalt plants on site (re-using 100% of the planed materials)

-some twenty nights of work scheduled in July and August at the intersection between the two runways,

-up to 200 people in action at the same time on the worksite.

With the main runway closed for the 8 weeks of work, air traffic will be transferred onto the secondary runway (“11/29”). One of the constraints of the project is linked to the specific features of the runways, as the secondary runway cannot handle air traffic in certain weather conditions with very low visibility. The airport has therefore had to schedule the work during the summer period which is also the best time of year for ensuring short works schedule.

Bordeaux Mérignac Airport has set up an information system for towns and residents concerned by the flight paths of aircraft using the secondary runway: it provides information for local politicians, consultation bodies and residents’ associations, is distributing posters and brochures in town halls, setting up a Toll-Free Number for residents (0800 11 10 33) and creating a dedicated section on the Airport website: www.bordeaux.aeroport.fr/travaux.

To limit noise and aircraft flying over built-up areas, the DGAC has implemented new satellite-assisted procedures for take-offs at threshold 29 of the secondary runway.

press contacts

Corine Petton : 05 56 34 59 30 / cpettonbordeaux [dot] aeroport [dot] fr

go to the press room in the professional area of
the www.bordeaux.aeroport.fr