Chandlers Ford
CHANDLER'S FORD: Private company helipad
Note: The first two items are kindly provided by Mr Michael Holder. The local area view is from my Google Earth © derived database.
Operated by: Twyford Moors (Helicopters) Ltd
Location: On the N side of Chestnut Avenue, E of the A33 and S of the B3037. Just W of the M3 and roughly 1.5nm NW of the middle of EASTLEIGH - SOUTHAMPTON AIRPORT. About 5nm N to NNE of Southampton city centre
Period of operation: 1967 perhaps? Certainly 1969 to 1975, and it seems likely, still used in 1977
NOTES: We have Mr Graham Frost, a great friend of this 'Guide', for pointing out this location.
On a visit there he saw the Enstrom F.28A G-AVUK (ex N4460), and two Hughes 269B's. These being G-ASTZ, (ex N8761F), and G-AVZC (ex EI-AOU). A bit of delving on g-info reveals that G-AVUK was registered to them from 14.09.67 to 15.10.69.
The history of G-ASTZ is something of a mystery in as much it was registered to this company on 21.08.69 and then the records state it was declared PWFU (Permanently Withdrawn from Use) on 03.02.82. Seeing as Twyford Moors (Helicopters) went into liquidation in 1975, what happened to it during the intervening seven years?
G-AVZC was also registered to Twyford Moors (Helicopters) but from 01.06.70 to 19.02.76. Then it was registered to Forecourt Services, at this same address, from 19.02.76 until 02.03.77. So presumably this helipad was still in use up to 1977. The main reason for mentioning this is that in this 'Guide' I do like to, if possible, give the dates that the locations listed were operated. Very often of course, a difficult if not impossible task. However, with this said, the main purpose of the 'Guide' is make a record of the existence of a flying site.
The main operating centre for Twyford Moors (Helicopters) was the SOUTHAMPTON HELIPORT in the docks area, which operated from 1967 to 1975. Presumably this facility was mainly for maintenance?
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