Have you considered the possibility that until 2015 and certainly not before the next election, Govt is not going to do anything substantial on airport expansion. For the time being, the job of the aviation minister is really to keep things carrying on as usual and avoid major disasters. In such an environment, it makes sense to give the role to someone who is seen as being pro green - allows Cameron to claim eco credentials while the aviation minister's job has been somewhat neutralised by earlier decisions.
Separately - I went recently to Lowfield Heath next to Gatwick yeseterday and visited the church there as well as the former village crossroads. Rather depressing to see the last vestigial remains of a village that was wiped off the map under the juggernaut that was expansion of Gatwick. Anyone else been to Lowfield Heath before it's potentially repeated at Sipson ?