After the nuclear industry, militant environmentalism now has a new target in sight: aviation. The energy consequences of the Russian invasion saved the atom sector in extremis. This time, at first glance, the prey seems easier to kill. It emerged considerably weakened from the Covid-19 crisis and the restrictions that accompanied it.
The demagogic shortcuts that associate it with “big capital” and the “ultra rich” are conducive to the union of all the left in this fight which has now lasted several months. The goal is simple and is also assumed from 2021 by the EELV mayor of Poitiers: “Aerial should no longer be part of children’s dreams today”. So, like nuclear power in its time, the aeronautical sector is now continually presented as the new enemy to be defeated. However, once again, ideological blindness has replaced the sense of reality.
Airbus broke a record
The proof is in the 125,000 square meters of the Paris Air Show, the largest event in the world dedicated to the aeronautics and space industry, which was held last week. The 1,130 French people who, alone, make up nearly half of all exhibitors, showed the true face of this sector far from militant caricatures: a dynamic industry, perfectly aware of environmental issues and, finally, vital for the future of our country.
The figures speak for themselves: by selling 500 planes on the first day of the show to the Indian company IndiGo, Airbus not only broke a record but recorded sales of around 55 billion euros. An order that will help support the growth of an aeronautical industry bringing together more than 4,000 companies and employing nearly 200,000 employees in France. The sector will therefore participate in reducing somewhat the abyssal deficit of our foreign trade. And no offense to the Nupes, the sector offers plenty to make young French people dream. The Group of French aeronautical and space industries (Gifas) counts no less than 25,000 vacancies this year in the sector. The Dassault group alone offers a thousand. Airbus, for its part, is looking for nearly 3,500 new employees in France on permanent contracts.
Carbon neutrality by 2050
In terms of sustainable development, the aeronautics sector, which today represents 4% of European greenhouse gas emissions, is pursuing the objective of carbon neutrality by 2050. If, on the side of ecologists, the combat is to prohibit the French from traveling more than 4 times in their lifetime, the aviation sector is striving to find bolder decarbonization solutions to achieve this.
After four years of absence, the Paris Air Show showed an incredible revival in this area. Here again, French expertise and engineering are pioneers. Better, this research effort is not limited to large groups but feeds an entire ecosystem. The Show was thus an opportunity to highlight companies such as Aura Aero and VoltAero and their hybrid aircraft combining electricity and clean fuels based on oil or algae. The Elixir Aircraft company has chosen to design aircraft with lighter materials and therefore less energy consumers. Not to mention the fascinating debate on the place of hydrogen in the device.
Defend our tricolor flagships
Finally, at a time when Westerners are rediscovering at their expense a concept of sovereignty too long relegated to the background by our political leaders, how can we not be delighted that this industry has in its ranks a good number of French flagships such as Safran or Dassault? How not to be satisfied to see the European project materialize thanks to industrial giants like Airbus?
Employment, innovation, sovereignty: the prospects offered by the air, aeronautical and even airport sectors are more topical than ever. The strengths of the sector are the same as those possessed by the nuclear sector before it suffered the consequences of speeches as ideological as they were irresponsible. SO ! If, for once, we decided not to let it go?