Arbois

The airfield officially opened 6 november 1954, but photographic evidence suggests an airfield was already operating at the location years earlier. 


This IGN photo, shot mid-June 1951, clearly shows three lines in the grass to indicate runways/landing strips. Officially, the airfield was not opened yet, though (Géoportail).


A clearer photo of the airfield shot in May 1953 (IGN, via Géoportail)


August 1955 photo by IGN (via Géoportail).


The airfield underwent very little change in the 1950s, but a significant change had taken place when this photo was taken in 1963: a small building had been erected on the westernmost tip of the airfield (IGN, via Géoportail)


The built-up area of the town of Arbois was still resaonably far away when this photo was taken in May 1965. The airfield is just left of center (IGN, via Géoportail).

 Although it is still faintly visible in the grass, the E/W runway had closed by 1969. The dotted markers of the N/S runway had been replaced by a line for some reaso (IGN, via Géoportail)

 The grass runways received more standardised runway markers in the early 1970s, as can be seen in this 1974 photograph.  Clearly, there are only two runways remaining by this time and buildings are beginning to rise on the northeast side (IGN, via Géoportail)


The last photo of the airfield with more than one runway, taken in Ocotber 1975 (IGN, via Géoportail).


Although overexposed, this 1979 photo shows that the second runway no longer existed by that time (IGN, via Géoportail).


April 1984, with aircraft (likely gliders) on the south side of the airfield. construction was already taking place on the northeast side on what used to be the N/S runway (IGN, via Geoportail).


somewhere between 1985 and this 1998 photo, the runway was lengthened on the NW side and a hangar was built just south of the extension (IGN, via Géoportail).


Another photo of the airfield, shot in August 2000 (IGN, via Géoportail).


2001 colour photo of the airfield (IGN, via Geoportail).


2008 approach chart (SIA, via sonicboom.aero)

The airfield was closed by the Minister of transport on 1st august 2011. Its ICAO designator was transferred early September 2011 to a ULM platform at a place called "En Vauxy", 8km to the South of the former airfield of Arbois.


The airfield, shot on its final day in operation, 31 July 2011. Cessna 152 F-GPRF was the last aircraft to use it that day (sonicboom.aero)