Quick Turn at Nîmes-Alès-Camargue-Cévennes (LFTW)

How does airside access work at Nîmes-Alès-Camargue-Cévennes?

Business and general aviation handling at LFTW is run directly by the airport operator, Edeis, through its operations office (nimes.ops@edeis.com, OPS 131.7 MHz). ExecuJet, part of the Luxaviation group, is the FBO partner of Edeis at Aéroport Nîmes Grande Provence Méditerranée in Saint-Gilles. All personalised requests—including parking for a detailing session—go through Edeis ops, and the AIP states that aircraft wishing to stop over are admitted only with prior authorisation because of limited apron capacity.

We coordinate airside access with Edeis ops before your arrival. Our crew holds the necessary airside pass and arranges escort if required. Once your aircraft is on stand, we confirm the parking duration with the handler and begin work immediately. The apron totals 52,875 m² with only three remote stands listed by the operator, so advance coordination is essential to secure a slot and ensure the handler expects a third-party crew on the ramp.

You or your dispatcher sends us the tech log reference, registration and stand assignment; we liaise with Edeis to confirm access and timing. The handler's ground staff will ask to see our pass and the work order; we carry both, along with public-liability insurance documents, on every job.

What changes at Nîmes-Alès-Camargue-Cévennes for a quick turn?

LFTW sits at 309 feet on the Costières plain, 9 kilometres SSE of Nîmes. The single 2,443-metre concrete runway 18/36 (PCN 63) handles everything from light jets to ACJ/BBJ, and the reference temperature of 33.1 °C tells you this is a hot, dry Mediterranean site in summer. High ambient temperature shortens the waterless-product evaporation window slightly; we adjust application technique and work in the shade of the fuselage when possible.

The limited apron capacity—three remote stands—means parking must be arranged with Edeis ops in advance, and your slot may be tight. We book the quick turn to fit inside your scheduled ground time, typically 45 to 90 minutes depending on aircraft size. If you are operating IFR or VFR with a stopover, the AIP requirement for prior authorisation applies, so confirm parking and handling details early.

Handling agents present at the airport will coordinate GPU, potable water and lavatory service; we work around their schedule. The dry summer climate is ideal for waterless exterior work, and the relatively low elevation means no cold-soak challenges for cabin materials or avionics ventilation during turnaround.

What does the handler expect when Terso is on the ramp?

Edeis ops and ExecuJet expect advance notice, a named crew member, proof of insurance and a clear scope of work. We provide all three before the aircraft lands. The handler's ground staff will ask to see our airside pass and the work order; they want to know we are authorised, insured and that the captain or dispatcher has requested the service.

We do not touch pitot probes, static ports, antennas or avionics bays during a quick turn; the waterless exterior wipe is limited to the nose, leading edges and entry area—surfaces the handler knows are safe for a no-rinse product. Inside, we stay clear of the flight deck's central pedestal and any loose paperwork; we wipe the glareshield, yoke and window frames, but we do not move charts, tablets or personal items.

The handler will coordinate GPU if you need cabin power during the service, and they will schedule lavatory and potable-water service around our work. We carry our own vacuum, microfibre cloths, waterless wash solution and trash bags; nothing is borrowed from the FBO or left behind. If the turnaround is tight, the handler appreciates a heads-up on our estimated finish time so they can sequence refuelling or catering without delay.

How is a quick turn at LFTW documented?

Every quick turn closes with a digital photo report: time-stamped images of the cabin, galley, lavatory, cockpit windows and the exterior areas we wiped. The report goes to the email address you provide at booking—usually the chief pilot, dispatcher or flight-department manager—within two hours of completion. If you operate a fleet or a regular schedule through Nîmes, we can send the report to a standing distribution list.

The photo set includes before-and-after views when lighting and timing allow, though a true turnaround often means we begin as soon as the door opens and finish as catering arrives, leaving little margin for staged photography. The images confirm that trash was removed, surfaces were wiped, and the waterless exterior treatment was applied to the nose, leading edges and entry area. We note any pre-existing condition—scuffs, stains, worn brightwork—in the report so there is no ambiguity when the aircraft departs.

The report also records the stand number, arrival and departure times, and the names of the Terso crew on site. If you need a copy for your tech log or a third-party audit, we provide it in PDF. The documentation is part of the service, not an optional extra, and it gives your flight department a consistent record across every station we serve.

What is the timing for a quick turn between two legs?

We book the service to fit inside your scheduled ground time, typically 45 to 90 minutes depending on aircraft size. A super-midsize cabin—Challenger 350, Citation Latitude—takes about 45 minutes for vacuum, galley and lavatory reset, window cleaning and a waterless wipe of the nose and leading edges. An ultra-long-range jet—Global 7500, Gulfstream G650—needs 75 to 90 minutes because of the larger cabin, the second lavatory and the longer walk around the exterior.

We begin as soon as the door opens and the handler confirms the stand is secure. If you are refuelling or taking on catering, we coordinate with the ground staff to work around their schedule; the waterless exterior wipe happens last, after hoses and trucks have cleared the area. The cabin work—vacuum, galley, lavatory, windows—happens concurrently, with two crew members inside and one outside if the timeline is tight.

If your slot at LFTW is constrained by the limited apron capacity, tell us the block time when you book. We will confirm availability and arrive early enough to meet the aircraft on stand. The quick turn is designed for turnarounds, not overnight stops; if you need a full wash, interior detail or decon, we schedule a separate service with a longer parking window arranged through Edeis ops.

Why choose a waterless exterior wipe instead of a rinse at Nîmes?

A waterless wipe delivers a clean nose, leading edges and entry area without the time, equipment or water-disposal coordination that a rinse or dry wash requires. At LFTW, where apron capacity is limited and turnaround slots may be tight, the waterless method fits inside your ground time and leaves no runoff for the handler to manage. We apply a pH-neutral, hydrophobic solution with a clean microfibre applicator, then buff to a streak-free finish; the product lifts dust, exhaust residue and light soiling without scratching the paint or brightwork.

The method is approved for composite leading edges, nacelle lips and polished aluminium; we do not use it on cold-soaked surfaces or in freezing conditions, but the Mediterranean climate at Nîmes makes it ideal year-round. The waterless wipe is not a substitute for a full exterior wash—it will not remove heavy belly grime or deice-fluid residue—but it resets the aircraft's appearance for the next leg and keeps the entry area presentable for passengers boarding on the ramp.

If you operate a regular schedule through LFTW, the waterless wipe between legs extends the interval between full washes and reduces the number of times the aircraft needs a long parking slot for a rinse and dry. It is a practical choice for high-frequency operations where appearance matters but ground time is scarce.