Chimay-Virelles Ulmodrome

The primary reason for the closure of the Chimay-Virelles Ulmodrome was the redevelopment of the land for a large-scale renewable energy project. The site was selected for the construction of a significant photovoltaic park (solar farm), making continued aviation operations impossible. This type of land repurposing, where the economic value of energy production or real estate development outweighs that of a small, private airfield, is a common reason for the closure of such facilities.

The site of the former ulmodrome is now occupied by the Chimay-Virelles photovoltaic park. A large array of solar panels covers the area where the runway and airfield facilities were once located. While the faint outline of the former grass strip may be visible in some historical satellite imagery, the land is now fully dedicated to solar energy generation and is no longer recognizable or usable as an airfield.

The Chimay-Virelles Ulmodrome was a private airfield dedicated almost exclusively to recreational aviation, specifically for Ultralight/Microlight (ULM) aircraft, as its name suggests ('Ulmodrome'). It was not a commercial or military airport. Its significance was local, serving as a base for the 'ULM Club de la Principauté' and providing a hub for general aviation enthusiasts in the Chimay region of Wallonia. The airfield consisted of a single grass runway (approximately 02/20) and basic facilities for club members. It played a small but important role in the local recreational flying community for several years before its closure.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Chimay-Virelles Ulmodrome. The construction of the permanent and extensive solar farm infrastructure on the site makes a return to aviation activities virtually impossible. The land has been permanently repurposed, and any effort to restore it as an airfield would require the complete removal of the photovoltaic park, which is economically and logistically unfeasible.