Wojtyła Airport. 634,000 passengers used Pau Pyrénées Airport in 2015, making it the third busiest airport in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine région of France, after Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport and Biarritz Pays Basque Airport. Béarn has a long association with aviation. The meteorological conditions of Béarn were convenient for early aviators, and the Wright brothers made several flights in Pont-Long, a flat marshy area north of Pau from 1908 onwards. Wilbur Wright helped set up the world's first aviation school, which opened outside Pau in 1908. Pau Pyrénées Airport is located on the site of this aviation school. The French military trains its paratroopers at the School of Airborne Troops, which has been located near Pau since 1946. People from Béarn Alexandra Lacrabère - handball player Louis Barthou – Former politician François Bayrou – Candidate in the 2002, 2007 and 2012 French presidential elections, leader of the MoDem party, current mayor of Pau Charles Denis Bourbaki – A Bearnese French army officer of Greek origins, he distinguished himself during the Crimean war. The Bearnese football club FA Bourbaki Pau is named for him. The family of Alexander Gordon Bearn Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte – Marshal of France (1763–1844), Karl XIV Johan, King of Sweden and Norway (where he was known as Karl III Johan) from 1818 to 1844 Gaston Phoebus – Gaston X of Bearn, Gaston III of Foix – Established Bearn's independence in 1347 Gaston de Béarn – Gaston XI of Béarn, Gaston IV of Foix Mary, Viscountess of Béarn – (c. 1245 – c. 1319) Mary, Viscount of Béarn – (d. after 1187) Gaston Planté – French physicist who invented the lead acid battery in 1859 Philippe Bernat-Salles – Former professional Rugby player Claude-François Bertrand de Boucheporn, last intendant of the Ancien Régime in Béarn (1785–1790) Henry IV of France – Ruled as King of France from 1589 to 1610 Jean Bouilhou – Professional Rugby player Julian Bourdeu – Migrant to Argentina, he was devoted to cultural endeavours, being also a journalist and a Police Commissary Pierre Bourdieu – French sociologist Nicolas Brusque – Former professional rugby player Bertrand Cantat – Singer of the rock band Noir Désir Julien Cardy – Professional football player Jérémy Chardy – Professional tennis player Cataline, aka Jean Caux or Jean-Jacques Caux – Legendary packer during several gold rushes in British Columbia, Canada, is said to have been from Béarn (among other possibilities) Nicolas Escudé – Former professional tennis