Chequers
Note: Needless to say Chequers is not listed on Google maps, so this is only a rough idea of the location.
CHEQUERS: Glider landing site later temporary heliport
Note: Picture by the author:
NOTES: There is a need here to preserve a degree of confidentiality, which I’m happy to respect. The story itself comes from an impeccable source, one of those people involved. In the late 1970s/early 1980s a glider pilot was flying along the Chiltern ridge and running out of lift. He spotted what seemed an ideal landing site with a huge lawn and large country house which would obviously have a telephone installed.
On landing the proverbial hit the fan BIG TIME! The Prime Minister was due to arrive in a couple of hours and the security bods did not want a glider parked outside the front entrance. A sensible person might of course ask, why not? The PM might well be interested about this turn of events? And probably should be when you come to think about it. But PMs are fiercly shielded from reality when in office.
The first suggestion from the Gliding Club to send a tug in was greeted with derision, along the lines of, “What! You want to land another effing aircraft on the lawn?”
To cut a long story short, after explaining how long it would take to send a trailer across, take the glider apart, and load it etc - the aero-tow idea was agreed. And this is how a Piper PA-18 Super Cub, flown by a very good friend, was once seen towing a glider out of Chequers.
'CHOPPERS' AT CHEQUERS
Perhaps somebody can help here? Presumably helicopters transporting VIPs have been a regular feature.
The arrival of President Obama in 'Marine One', a Sikorsky VH-3D Sea King with two V22 Ospreys in attendance made a big splash in the news during his visit in April 2016. It appears that three Ospreys were airlifted into MILDENHALL inside a C-17 Globemaster III prior to this visit. Presumably one was a spare as it seems that only two were seen, flying together, during this visit.
Incidentally, the call-sign 'Marine One' is not applied to a singular helicopter, but only the one actually carrying the President, and these are operated by the U S Marine Corps.
Andrew Chantrill
This comment was written on: 2018-07-07 08:00:00Re the story about the glider forced landing at Chequers. I remember the event, and unless I'm mistaken the pilot was a salesman who had already hit his quarter's target and decided to skive off for the day. The publicity didn't do his career any good, either!
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