Childerditch
CHILDERDITCH: Private airstrip and helipad
Note: All these pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©
Operated by: Mr E Coventry
Location: Just W of Childerditch, 0.5nm N of the A127, 2.5nm SSE of Brentwood town centre
Period of operation: Not known? For many years and still operational in 2020
Runway: 09/27 (Max run) 490 grass
NOTES: I have Mr Trevor Sexton to thank for pointing out this airstrip and helipad. He tells us that Mr Coventry keeps his CAP.10 and helicopter here.
Today the CAP 10 might well be forgotten to some extent. But in its day, developed from the Piel Super Emeraude, the first flight of the C.P. 100 was in August 1968. It soon became one of the classic aerobatic aeroplanes of all time. Without much doubt Marcel Charollais was the supreme exponent of the type.
On the 14th of October 1994 I was invited to fly with Marcel in a CAP 10 from Cannes-Mandelieu west of Cannes in southern France. To my great shame, I had no idea who he was when we went flying and only discovered his history afterwards. He was so kind, and soon realising I had no idea about aerobatics, asked me if he could demonstrate a few manouevres?
From the first I knew I was in the hands of a master. He kindly invited me to 'follow through' on the controls, but I kept my hands and feet clear almost from the start. What followed were all the figures in a world aerobatic contest, and possibly a couple more thrown in. For example, lining up on a long and narrow lake or resevoir up in the hills north of Cannes, which was a perfect 'datum' line he executed everything with absolute accuracy.
What I distinctly remember was being treated to a sixteen point hesitation roll. The altimeter didn't move, and the lake remained along the centre of the engine cowling throughout. Quite incredible flying skill, and, by then Marcel was getting on in years!
A BIT MORE INFO
It now appears that Mr Edward K Coventry, who lived nearby, may have had his Vans RV-7, G-CGJN (ex LY-AUU), based here from 06.01.12 to 03.07.20.
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