The Orly Tower has lost its ball...

We can say that millions of people, walkers, passengers, waiters and motorists of the N7, have developed the habit, since 1984, of seeing at the top of the Orly Tower this iconic white faceted ball.

©Groupe ADP/Alain Leduc

Visible everywhere, on screens, in movies and on television, on postcards and in all aviation books and of course at Orly Airport.

But few know that the radar that was under this radom is part of an indispensable tool for air navigation controllers, also called air traffic controllers.

This radar allows them to view on a screen, at night and during conditions of reduced visibility and especially in foggy weather, all aircraft and vehicle movements on the Orly airport platform.

To ensure the safety and performance of the tools essential to controllers, the technical services of the DGAC regularly renew and improve the installations. The day we heard that a new ground radar would be installed on the tower and that it would no longer need the current radome, we decided to apply for its recovery.

Our museum will surely be the ideal place for this radome to retire not far from the place where it has worked valiantly during his working life and in addition he can keep a benevolent eye on the new radar that replaced him.

We immediately contacted the civil aviation memory mission, where we received a very favorable reception to receive and preserve this unique piece of the DGAC's heritage.

The day after the Heritage Days, a message told us that the dismantling operations would take place the next day and that soon this “little” mirror ball could join the Delta Museum.

We cannot resist presenting below some extraordinary images of the dismantling of the radome produced by Alain LEDUC © Group ADP / Alain Leduc

©Groupe ADP/Alain Leduc

©Groupe ADP/Alain Leduc

We immediately announced the news to the Mayor of Athis Mons, who very favorably received this operation.

Now it's up to the museum team to find a location for the display and full visibility of this radome, with the assistance of the city’s technical services.

We hope to be able to install it soon at the museum.

A big THANK YOU to the civil aviation memory mission, to the Group ADP Photo Library, Alain LEDUC and Jean Charles DAYOT for the illustrations in this article.

And above all, do not hesitate to visit the site of Jean Charles (son of another regular user of Orly radars) there is information on: