Departure
95%
vs 95%
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Aérodrome de Bordeaux-Léognan-Saucats is a small general-aviation and gliding field in the pine forests south of Bordeaux, shared by powered aircraft, microlights, sailplanes and model flyers. Established in 1953 and now run by the Communauté de Communes de Montesquieu, it offers a hard and a grass runway and remains a lively centre for training, touring and aerobatics close to the city.
Bordeaux-Léognan-Saucats is a general-aviation aerodrome in the pine forests south of Bordeaux, used for a wide mix of activities: powered flying training, touring, aerobatics, amateur-built aircraft, aerial work, ULM (microlight) flying, gliding and model aircraft. It is a popular destination for simulator pilots wanting a short, uncontrolled French country strip within easy reach of a major city, with the added interest of parallel hard and grass runways.
The aerodrome lies in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, in the Gironde department, spread across the communes of Léognan, Martillac and Saucats, about 16 km south of Bordeaux. It sits amid pine woodland belonging to the Migelane forest. Weather information for the field is drawn from the METAR and TAF of Bordeaux-Mérignac (LFBD) (map.aerobreak.com), reflecting its position within the wider Bordeaux airspace environment.
The aerodrome has two physical runways. Runway 03/21 has a hard (paved) surface, lit, with the 03 threshold giving a length of 2628 ft and the 21 threshold giving 2431 ft. Runway 03R/21L is a grass surface, lit, 2529 ft in length from each threshold. Field elevation is 184 ft. There is no ILS.
No air-ground or ATC communication frequencies are published for the aerodrome. Pilots should consult current French AIP/VAC documentation for any radio procedures in force before flying there.
No specific joining or circuit procedures, circuit heights or noise-abatement instructions are given in the available material; pilots should refer to the published VAC chart for the aerodrome for current joining and circuit details.
No published visual reporting points or specific ground landmarks for joining are given in the available material; the aerodrome is bordered by pine forest, including the Migelane departmental forest, which is a useful general visual cue when approaching from the air.
The aerodrome was established in 1953 following the relocation of the former Aérodrome Blériot at Bègles, which had to move because of the route of the planned Bordeaux ring road; that earlier field had stood beside the Garonne on what is now the site of the Rives d'Arcins retail centre. Originally grass-surfaced, the platform gained a paved runway in 1985, allowing year-round use. In 2007 management of the aerodrome was transferred by the French state to the Communauté de Communes de Montesquieu, which continues to operate it today (si-graves-montesquieu.fr; cc-montesquieu.fr).
Today the aerodrome is a multi-activity general-aviation site accommodating more than 700 users, with powered flight training, touring, aerobatics, amateur aircraft construction and aerial work (aerial photography, advertising, banner towing) alongside gliding, microlight (ULM) flying and model aircraft activity. It is home to the Centre Aéronautique Bordeaux-Léognan-Saucats (CABLS), which represents most of the flying activity on the field, and hosts around twenty hangars that are the subject of an ongoing economic development plan by the Communauté de Communes de Montesquieu, the field's manager. Access for ULM traffic is described as free (aérodrome C.A.P., libre d'accès aux ULM). The aerodrome has also held public open days, such as a free event in May with aircraft displays, discovery flights and a forum on flying training, illustrating the breadth of activity based there.