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Some 37 670 tonnes of cargo transited through Vatry in 2005, nearly twice the volume posted
by the airport in 2004. We therefore take particular delight in combining the announcement of
our 2005 success with our sincerest wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year.
  nce again, Vatry tonnage can be divided into four
distinct groups. First, perishables in ever increasing
quantities from Africa. However, to the usual influx of
fruits, vegetables and fish must now be added shipments of
cut flowers destined for consumer markets across northern
Europe. Cargo carrier Avient, based at Vatry, continues to
enhance efforts to increase the number of flights to and from
these specialized markets through an ever expanding network
of producers and customers. Second, mounting shipments
of equipment to petroleum platforms in Central Asia. Nearly
everything from offshore drilling apparatus to helicopters
used to shuttle workers to and from locations in and around
the Caspian Sea transits through Vatry. Third, humanitarian
aid missions. Unfortunately, world-scale human tragedy made
news headlines time and again in 2005: the tsunamis in Asia, famine in Africa and the devastating earthquake in Pakistan. Suffice it to
say that shipments of items of first necessity through Vatry became all too frequent occurrences for some NGOs in 2005. And, last but not
least, general cargo comprising all manner of merchandise and materials from industries operating in the tertiary sector.
From the standpoint of logistics activities, the signing in 2005 of a memorandum of understanding and a number of other agreements
respecting parcels of land totalling some 140 hectares in area speaks volumes about the ongoing development potential of Vatry’s
business parks. |
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 o matter what the weather, Jean Vatinel is always… or almost always there. Rain or shine, snow or sleet… even during the dog days of summer in the Marne valley, Jean is there… camera in hand. Peering through his powerful zoom lens, he brings aircraft into view, makes his way to the end of the runway to ‘shoot’ an incoming wide-body, dashes back to the threshold at the opposite end of the runway to film a takeoff, and monitors every aspect of loading and unloading operations while aircraft are on the ground. A personal passion to which Jean has committed five years now… some 1825 days of patience in good weather and bad, many thousands of hours of cheerful generosity, and hundreds upon hundreds of photographs of aircraft of all shapes and sizes.
“I come up from Arcis-sur-Aube twice a day,” he tells VCU. Jean Vatinel’s eyes indeed light up the instant the subject of airplanes arises or whenever asked to comment on the countless hours he spends on his Vatry-based passion. A camped out, airport regular for years now, he is well known to many a Vatry employee and it is not uncommon to see them acknowledge his presence with a wave through the chain-link fence as pallets are on- or offloaded. This aficionado of airplanes and rock’n roll worked at the sugar plant at Connantre through to retirement 5 years ago. He now devotes his time to capturing the history of fledgling Vatry airport on film and has numerous albums to show for it. In cooperation with Mr Vatinel, Vatry International Airport plans to organize an exhibition featuring a selection of his best photographs. Following are several interesting shots from his ever expanding collection. |
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