🇫🇷 Melun-Villaroche Airfield

Melun-Villaroche Airfield (LFPM) is an aerodrome located 8.5 km north of Melun, in the Seine-et-Marne department of France, and approximately 34 km southeast of Paris.

Type of facility and operations: Melun-Villaroche is a public aerodrome that supports general aviation and business aviation, with no scheduled commercial airline service. It is equipped for both Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations. The airport has two paved runways: 10/28 measuring 1,975 by 45 meters (6,480 ft × 148 ft) and 01/19 measuring 1,300 by 30 meters (4,265 ft × 98 ft). Its control tower, equipped with radar, provides air traffic control at low altitude over a significant portion of the Paris region. The maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is 40 tons.

Notable features or history: The airfield has a rich history, initially emerging as a civilian airfield before World War II. During WWII, it was seized by the Germans in June 1940 and used as a Luftwaffe military airfield. After its liberation by Allied forces around September 1, 1944, it became a USAAF Ninth Air Force combat airfield, designated "A-55," hosting units flying B-26 Marauder medium bombers and later C-47 Skytrains. Post-war, extensive reconstruction was undertaken. In the early 1950s, it was considered by the United States Air Force as a potential NATO transport facility and a site for a large medical facility, though these plans were ultimately rejected.

Melun-Villaroche later served as a flight test center for Avions Marcel Dassault (now Dassault Aviation) and engine manufacturer SNECMA (now Safran). Safran Aircraft Engines maintains a large manufacturing plant south of the airport and an aero-engine and space museum on-site. The airfield has also hosted legendary aircraft and unique pieces like a Messerschmitt Me 262 for testing. It is home to the Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile (BEA), the French air accident investigation agency, which has extensive facilities there. A campus of the École nationale de l'aviation civile (ENAC), the French civil aviation university, is also located at the aerodrome. The airfield has been the venue for the "Paris-Villaroche Air Legend" airshow since 2018.

Current status: Currently, Melun-Villaroche Airfield is primarily a hub for general and business aviation. Its main users include a Fixed Base Operator (AFIS), the aero-club Melun Villaroche "Constantin Rozanoff," and collectors of vintage aircraft. The airfield remains well-maintained with modern navigational aids, a large airpark, and a significant number of hangars. It is operational with regular hours, typically from 05:00 to 21:00Z, with the control tower operating Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 16:00Z. There are currently no reported operational issues at the airport.