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CHAMBLEY AIR BASE
THE EUROPEAN AERONAUTICS PARK
Air Base of Chambley-Bussieres
For The Power Point Presentation
(DEPARTMENT OF MEURTHE-et-MOSELLE)
In the heart of the Regional Nature Park of Lorraine This Power Point presentation was presented by: Philippe Buron-Pilatre de Rozier, Director of the Mondial Air Balloons - Lorraine.
Tel: 011-33-387-64-0808
NOTE: If you desire a Power Point disk on the future development of Chambley, that includes details and pictures, call Bob Sisk, 903-473-2272 for a copy.
AN AMBITIOUS PROJECT IN THE HEART OF THE LORRAIN REGION
* Chambley Air Base is a European tourism project that is both shaping the region and revitalizing a rural area and an abandoned military base. It is a park of global dimension, in light of the international events that will take placeon that site, as well as of the public that will attend from around the world.
* The site of the project is located near the A4 and A31 highways. It will be served by a network of local roads (unfortunately with reduced traffic capacity).
* It is situated at the heart of the Regional Nature Park of Lorraine and can be tied to the development of the Madine artifical lake area in the Department of Meuse.
* The site could be connedted to the high speed train (TGV) station of Vandieres by road and possibly by rail as it used to be in the past when the base was managed by Americans. At the time, the sited was connected by a railroad that is close to the site, running from Toul to Longuyon.
* During the past ten years, the large public special events that have taken place in Meurthe-at-Moselle have brough forth the development of bed and breakfasts, camping sites, and farm auberges. This has now become a central part of Meurthe-et-Moselle, a Department that is being increasingly developed as a prime tourist destination.
* First imagined in 1985, developed in 1991, the aeronautics park project was conceived in 1993 on the Chambley-Bussieres air base (Department of Meurthe-et-Mosell). Once belonging to the French until 1940, it later became American (1953-1957).
* This exceptional sited of almost 1000 acres, one of the 62 NATO bases established in France (including 12 in Lorraine), was already an aerodrome before World War II. From 1953 to 1967, after being rebuilt by the Americans, the base became one of the prime sites for the American presence in Europe at the time of the Cold War.
* Celebrities such as Michael Collins (one of the 3 astronauts of the Apollo Mission XI on the Moon), Chuck Yeager (first man to have broken the sound barrier), all served as military personne on the base. A Veterans' association for the bases of Etain, Verdun, Toul-Rosieres, and Chambley perpetuates the memory of the time when the base was an economic heart for this crossroads between the departments of Moselle, Meurthe-et-Mosell, and Meuse. The base has a special place in the region affections. Thus the 60's theme shall be cultivated.
* The Chambley base belongs to the aeronautics patrimony of Lorraine, a region, which as maintained a special relationship with air conquest since the 18th century.
* It is indeed a native man of Lorraine who first flew aboard an aerostat, an early version of today's hot ballon. It is also in Lorraine that rockets, air mail (Moselle), blimps (Vosges), and military aviation (Verdun) were invented or developed.
THE CHAMBLEY AIR BASE ALREADY THE SITE FOR VERY LARGE SPECIAL EVENTS
* The first two World Biennial Hot Air Ballooning Festivals (Biennales Mondiales de l'Aerostation) took place on what has now become the Metz - Nancy - Lorraine regional airport (1989 - 1991).
* When that airport was established, another site had to be found to organize the world biennial ballooning event.
* A study group was created in October 1991 in order to identify a new site for this event in Lorraine. Seventeen sites were discussed and evaluated. The Chambley-Bussieres air base was selected as the new site to host the World Biennial Hot Air Bollooning Festival.
* The first World Biennial Hot Ballooning Festival took place in Chambley AB in 1993 and attracted 400,000 people in ten days.
* From 1993 to 2003: Six World Biennial Hot Air Ballooning Festivals (renamed Mondial Air Ballons Lorraine) followed, as well as three "Legend Air" events (European salon of amateur constructors and collectors of light aircrafts), regional ultralighting and hang-gliding competitions, as well as aerobatics and race car practice.
CHAMBLEY AIR BASE: AN INNOVATIVE RESORT
* The concept for the Chambley Air Base project is modern. It combines the assets of a recreational aeronautics park and the dynamics of sports, calling for imagination and for the capacity to dream and to surpass oneself.
* The base's area of almost 1,000 acres allows for both virtual and real-life practice of all air sports.
* Chambley is a European project open to all European federations of air sports, capable of attracting a target audience of 8 million people living two hours drive from the site and able to make the Lorraine Region the focus of national and international media attention.
* It is also:
>A special event platform (site for large aeronautics special events and other kinds)
>An industrial, crafts and commercial platform
>An entertainment park (new technologies of information and communication, museums and memorials.
>A modern European aerodrome.
>It is also an important project in the following areas:
- Tourism
- Sports and culture
- Education, research and development
- Collaboration between un iversities, schools and private businesses.
A SITE FOR ALL AIR SPORTS
* All disciplines for air sports shall be practiced at the Chambley Air Base, to the exception of parachuting (the regional center for the practice of this sport is found in Azelot). They include the following:
- Model aircraft making
- Ballooning (hot air and gas)
- Astronomy
- Aviation (including aerobatics, amature airplane construction and collection)
- Kites
- Helicopters
- Ultralighting
- Hang-Gliding (para sailing, air gliding, delta, PUL)
- Gliding
- But also space simulators
THE DEVELOPED PROJECT OF THE CHAMBLEY-BUSSIERES AIR BASE
* This project could be completed by 2010. Its development would be divided into three two-year phases.
* Already, 2 consulting firms were appointed by the Lorraine Region to validate Philippe Buron Pilatre's scheme. The last report on the recommended development of the resort has not been yet ratified by the regional elected representatives.
* The Chambley-Bussieres project includes six different areas around an aerodrome (runways, taxi-ways, access roads and air control tower) connected by a circular ring (14 km long) used by trains on tires. Road signs reminding of the air conquest will line the route.
- Nr 1 area: The future (research, development, virtual world, astronomy, space, ultralighting, hang-gliding.
- Nr 2 area: The Present (special events, education/training, ballooning)
- Nr 3 area: Living/food & lodging/services (camping, RVs/trailers, hotels, restaurants, mobile homes, fitness, rentals).
- Nr 4 area: Aeronautics activities (manufacturing, repair, aeroclubs, air activities and air shows).
- Nr 5 area: Industrial zones (company Croisees et profils + others to be specified)
- Nr 6 area: History & Remembrance (Museums + gliding + model aircraft).
WHAT AUDIENCES FOR THE CHAMBLEY AIR BASE
* The public at large (special events, walks, excursions, tourism.
* Over 400,000 people attend the Mondial Air Balloons-Lorraine event every year.
* Current or future air sports enthusiasts through the aeronautics clubs.
* This represents 100,000 people in France, one million in Europe and 10 million in the world.
* Private companies or future interns in business administration.
* Incentive, groups, schools: In the heart of the Lorraine Region, at the crossroads of Europe, the Chambley Air Base is the top site in the world to have an air space dedicated to host such a comprehensive aeronautics program.
WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT FOR THE CHAMBLEY AIR BASE?
* The site will belong to Conseil Regional-de-Lorraine as soon as the various cleanup phases are completed. A partial, then complete acquisition is planned as the asbestos, pyrotechnic, hydrocarbon, and other forms of cleanup grogresses.
A PROJECT CREATING JOBS AND WEALTH FOR THE LORRAINE REGION
* As a European project, Chambley Air Base has to nurture the development of collaboration ith the French and European aeronautics federation, especially since changes in airspace reegulations will contribute to a certain harmonization between aviation training being offered, aircraft control, manufacturing and repair procedures.
* The History & Remembrance Pole of the project will be developed with the assistance of American Veterans' associations. See power point disk for more info.
2004 & THE NEXT TEN YEARS TO COME
* This project could be built and provided with all main services in three main phases, ranging from two to three years each. The first phase could be completed in 2006/2007. See disk for more info.
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