Bids are being sought for the construction of an industrial site at Rochefort – Charente-Maritime Airport in France’s Nouvelle-Aquitaine region where VoltAero is to perform the assembly and deliveries of its Cassio electric-hybrid aircraft family.
This construction project’s notification – issued by the regional association of airports, called the Syndicat Mixte des Aéroports de La Rochelle – Ile de Ré et Rochefort – Charente-Maritime – will lead to the creation of a facility with three Cassio aircraft final assembly lines, along with a workshop, logistics area and offices. The move-in timing for VoltAero is expected within a year, targeted for June 2024.
Cassio
Covering a total area of 7,400 square metres – with the possibility for future extensions – the building initially will provide 2,412 square metres of floor space. Project management is the responsibility of the Syndicat Mixte association, and the prime contractor role has been entrusted to the Rochefort-based SDArchitectes agency.
The project’s cost of €4.4 million (excluding tax) includes road access to the site, as well as a tarmac area for the assembled Cassio aircraft, and a taxiway that connects to the Rochefort – Charente-Maritime Airport’s runway. The French government will contribute €665,000 as part of the National Fund for Territorial Planning and Development (FNADT). Discussions are underway with the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region and the Agglomeration Community of Rochefort-Océan for their financial support of the project.
The future presence of VoltAero at Rochefort – Charente-Maritime Airport is perfectly aligned with the Syndicat Mixte association’s strategy of attracting innovative aeronautical companies that will play a role in the decarbonized aviation of tomorrow.
Rochefort – Charente-Maritime Airport
Advantages of the Rochefort – Charente-Maritime Airport for the development of an aeronautical “industrial hub” include:
- Quality of the existing infrastructure, with a 2,280-meter-long X 45-meter-wide runway that accommodates medium-haul aircraft, along with three taxiways, a control tower, etc.;
An overall available land surface of 16 hectares, with direct access to the runway;
An absence of commercial air traffic, which is an advantage for the creation of activities that require frequent access to the runway and the airport infrastructure;
Road access, regional attractiveness, and a central location on France’s Atlantic coast; and
A well-established aeronautical industry presence in the greater Rochefort region.
Gérard Pons, President of the Syndicat Mixte des Aéroports de La Rochelle – Ile de Ré et Rochefort – Charente-Maritime, expressed his satisfaction with the construction launch for the facility: “VoltAero’s presence constitutes a go-ahead for the development of aeronautical industrial activities at the airport. I hope that this first facility will lead to test and development projects from other innovative aeronautical players.”
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