Novespace, a subsidiary of the French National Center for Space Studies, the CNES, has been a partner of scientific research into microgravity since 1986. Novespace chose Avico to market its gravity-free parabolic discovery flights, available to the public since 2013.
A subsidiary of the CNES, Novespace was launched in 1986 to promote microgravity as a scientific research tool.
The Zero G flights program, initiated by Jean-François Clervoy, an ESA astronaut and now President of the Board of Directors at Novespace, provides European countries and their space agencies with independent access to parabolic flights, previously only operated by the United States and Russia.
Based in the Bordeaux-Mérignac airport area, Novespace operates some thirty parabolic flights a year, mainly for space agencies (including CNES, ESA, DLR and JAXA) as part of their scientific and technical research programs.
From 1988 to 1996, Novespace ran nearly 50 scientific parabolic flight campaigns in its first aircraft, the Caravelle Zero G.
In 1997, the Caravelle was replaced by the Airbus A300 Zero G, which was used for 113 scientific campaigns. It also completed three observation missions on the atmospheric reentry of the cryotechnic main stage (CMS) of Ariane 5 for the CNES. In October 2014, the Airbus A300 Zero G was decommissioned after 17 years of service. It carried out 13,183 parabolas, equivalent to 80 accumulated hours of weightlessness. It is now displayed at Cologne airport, Germany.
Since 2015, Novespace has owned and operated a third aircraft, the Airbus A310 Zero G.
Since 2013, Novespace has expanded its activities to include zero-gravity discovery flights for enthusiasts from across Europe in partnership with Avico, under the Air Zero G brand.
Departing from Bordeaux-Mérignac (France), but also Zurich and Dübendorf (Switzerland), Frankfurt and Cologne (Germany), these flights are open to all.
Parabolic flights may be arranged for special occasions, such as film shoots (The Mummy, Tom Cruise, 2017) or business events.
Novespace chose Avico to market its Air Zero G flights.
France’s leading air broker, the Avico Group offers a range of integrated services for the aviation transport industry.
Business aircraft, helicopters and airliners, for private transport, business trips or incentive operations, conventions or sports events for ad-hoc tourism flights.
Learn more about the business offer
Passenger or freight transportation, for humanitarian or industrial emergencies.
For airlines during peak traffic seasons or to cover operating contingencies.
The Avico Group has a portfolio of six proprietary aircraft (Airbus A320 and A319, ATR42) and manages some fifteen aircraft for financial institutions. Avico also operates a joint aircraft-financing subsidiary with CIC bank under the Avico Asset Management brand.
For airlines, airports, aircraft manufacturers and investors.
Avico Group subsidiaries provide aircraft-to-airport transfer of passengers at Paris Charles-de-Gaulle airport (Flybus), aircraft cabin interior cleaning (Ladybird), airport security and dangerous goods training (Butterfly Training), and flight planning and flight watch for airlines (AeroGate).