Chiltern Park Aerodrome

Chiltern Park Aerodrome was a private airfield near Woodcote and Ipsden in Oxfordshire.[1] It was within RAF Benson's Military Aerodrome Traffic Zone.[2]

Chiltern Park Aerodrome
The wind sock that was at Chiltern Park
Summary
Airport typePrivate
OwnerChiltern Aerosports
LocationWoodcote, Oxfordshire
Opened1988
Closed24 September 2021
Elevation AMSL180 ft / 55 m
Coordinates51°33′10″N 001°06′02″W
Websitewww.chiltern.aero
Map
Chiltern Park is located in Oxfordshire
Chiltern Park
Chiltern Park
Location in Oxfordshire
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
04R/22L 550 1,804 Grass
04L/22R 700 2,297 Grass
15/33 420 1,378 Grass

The airfield was established in 1988,[3] and it catered for gyroplanes, microlights, helicopters, and gliders, as well as general aircraft.[4] In 2011 it became the weekend home of London Parachute School.

The airfield was ordered to close in June 2021, with the official closing date being 24 September after 33 years of operation. The closure of the airfield was ordered by a local farmer and his wife, who own the land on which the airfield was sited, and live close by. The couple complained about the venture growing "too big over the years", and that the noise of the aircraft "disturbs families living nearby".[5] Since 2022, the aerodrome has been reverted to farmland.

The Booker Gliding Club formerly operated at the airfield, as they weren't able to operate at their home airfield of Wycombe Air Park due to legal disputes between the leaseholder of the airfield and the council.[6]

Activities at the Aerodrome

The aerodrome was home to the London Parachute School, where they utilised the airfield for skydiving training in the form of tandem jumps.[7] They operated in conjunction with Booker Gliding Club who used the airfield for gliding 7 days a week when the weather was suitable.

  • The grass runways of the airfield in 2008
    The grass runways of the airfield in 2008
  • A light aircraft on the former airfield
    A light aircraft on the former airfield
  • A light aircraft crossing the road between the airfield and farm
    A light aircraft crossing the road between the airfield and farm
  • The airfield's former safety fleet
    The airfield's former safety fleet

References
  1. "Chiltern Park Airfield Card". Flightnav. 2009. Archived from the original on 5 May 2009. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  2. Action for Airfields (2003). "ALERT: Chiltern Park 12/02/01". A4A. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  3. "Diary" (PDF). Benson Bulletin. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  4. Chiltern Park Aerodrome (2010). "Airfield Info". Chiltern Airsports Ltd. Archived from the original on 12 May 2010. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  5. Henley Standard (2021). "Landowners force airfield closure". Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  6. Jane Moore (2021). "Booker Gliding Club Newsletter" (PDF). Booker Gliding Club. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  7. London Skydiving (2021). "Tandem Skydiving". London Skydiving. Archived from the original on 14 March 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
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