Colonial aviation in Northern Africa dates back to the 1910s, when France recognised the strategic importance of using aircraft to travel between remote outposts. Shortly thereafter, a number of landing grounds were established along already existing routes and near forts, which grew in number by the 1930s.

History Beginning in the 1910s, French aviation grew in popularity as it allows remote outposts and forts to be connected far more quickly than overland tracks. Subsequently, the colonial administration began aerial reconnaissance missions, followed by the establishment of landing grounds to support postal and aviation routes across the desert. Lieutenant Grandperrin of the Algerian Topographic Service was responsible for the reconnaissance and marking of sites for future landing grounds, while Lieutenant Fenouil and Warrant Officer Poivre prepared fuel supplies and spare parts for automobiles and aircraft at planned posts. By the late 1910s and early 1920s, it became necessary to construct routes along where airfields were to be established.

In the 1930s, a wave of long-distance pioneer flights driven the further establishment of emergency landing grounds across the Sahara, mainly along already existing overland tracks. These landing grounds were equipped with a fuel distributor, aviation oil at some sites, windsocks, and some even had hangars and weather posts. Navigational aids were typical, usually consisting of a stone circle measuring 20 to 50 meters in diameter and the name of a nearby landmark stencilled into the middle of the circle. Stone corners and side fringes were used to mark the boundary of the landing grounds. These structures were usually painted white to provide better visibility for pilots.

Post-use Many of the landing grounds established by the colonial administration were abandoned by the 1950s as aviation needs shifted, particularly those that were remote. However, some were maintained by locals, which involved the repositioning of displaced stones. Today, many of the landing circles still remain in good condition, and can be seen from satellite imagery. These structures, specifically the one at Adrar Madet, have also been mistaken as pre-Islamic tombs by an Italian archeological magazine.

Airfields This is a partial list of French Landing Grounds established durng French West Africa (1895 — 1958).

Algeria +Landing groundsNameTypeMarkings CoordinatesFateNotes Abalemma Emergency landing ground Adrar Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled "ADRAR" No longer visible in satellite imagery Adrar Aerodrome Ain-Sefra Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled "AÏN SEFRA" No longer visible in satellite imagery Redeveloped Amguid Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled "AMGUID" No longer visible in satellite imagery dated 2012 Amguid Regional Airport Aoulef Landing ground Arak Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled name absent No longer visible in satellite imagery dated 2023 Béni-Abbes Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled "BÉNI ABBES" No longer visible in satellite imagery dated 2024 Béni Abbès Airport Bidon-5 Emergency landing ground No identifiable markers; intercepted by Gao—Reggan track Biskra Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled "BISKRA" No longer visible in satellite imagery Biskra Airport Colomb-Béchar Air Force Aerodrome Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled name absent No longer visible in satellite imagery Redeveloped Djanet Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled name absent No longer visible in satellite imagery dated 2024 Djanet Aerodrome El-Ouig Emergency landing ground El-Goléa Emergency landing ground El Golea Airport Fada Intermediate landing ground Faya Intermediate landing ground Flatters Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled name absent Two corner fringes and a portion of the circle are visible in satellite imagery dated 2023 Fort Flatters Aerodrome Hassi-Bourahla Emergency landing ground In-Guezzam Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled name absent In Guezzam Airport In-Salah Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled "INSALAH" Redeveloped Laghouat Emergency landing ground Stone circle; stencilled name absent Redeveloped Ouargla Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled "OUARGLA 120" No longer visible in earliest satellite imagery dated 2001 Redeveloped Reggan (Civilian) Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers No longer visible in earliest satellite imagery dated 2004 Redeveloped Reggan (Military) Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled name absent This landing ground housed the Compagnie du Génie de l’Air. No longer visible in earliest satellite imagery dated 2004 Reggane Aerodrome; later replaced and closed Tabankort Emergency landing ground Tamanrasset Emergency landing ground Stone circle and only corner markers; stencilled name absent Redeveloped Tarhit Emergency landing ground Timgad Emergency landing ground WWI airfield used to carry out operations against rebel groups in the mountains No longer visible in satellite imagery; exact location unclear Timimoun Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled "TIMIMOUN" No longer visible in satellite imagery Timimoun Airport Timimoun East Emergency landing ground Touggourt Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled "TOUGGOURT" No longer visible in satellite imagery Redeveloped Zazir Emergency landing ground

Mali +Landing groundsNameTypeMarkings CoordinatesFateNotes Timétrine Emergency landing ground Stone circle and corner markers; stencilled name absent Visible in satellite imagery dated 2010 Abandoned

Mauritania

+Landing groundsNameTypeMarkings CoordinatesFateNotes Ain Ben Tili Emergency landing ground Akjoujt Intermediate landing ground Atar Landing ground Atar International Airport Bir Moghrein Intermediate landing ground Bou Izakarn Emergency landing ground Bou Zib Emergency landing ground Stone circle; stencilled "BOUZIB" Visible in satellite imagery dated 2024 Abandoned since 1950s Boutilimit Emergency landing ground Idjil (Fort Gouraud) Intermediate landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled "IDJIL" Foum el Hassne Emergency landing ground Méderdra Emergency landing ground Nouakchott Emergency landing ground Oujaf Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled "OUJAF" Visible in satellite imagery dated 2025 Abandoned Port Etienne Landing ground Rosso Emergency landing ground Tagouraret Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled "TAGOURARET" Abandoned Tindouf Intermediate landing ground Tiznit Emergency landing ground

Niger +Landing groundsNameTypeMarkings CoordinatesFateNotes Abécher Intermediate landing ground Adrar Madet Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled name absent Visible in satellite imagery dated 2024 Abandoned Agadem Emergency landing ground Stone circle; stencilled "AGADEM" Visible in satellite imagery Abandoned Agadès Emergency landing ground Aney Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled name is unintelligible Visible in satellite imagery dated 2024 Chirfa Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled "CHIRFA" Visible in satellite imagery dated 2024 Abandoned Dirkou Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled "DIRKOU" Visible in satellite imagery dated 2025 Abandoned Fachi Emergency landing ground Stone circle and boundary markers; stencilled "FACHI" Visible in satellite imagery dated 2022 in good condition Abandoned Zinder Emergency landing ground

See also List of North African airfields during World War II

References Citations

Bibliography