Hickstead
HICKSTEAD: Private airstrip and helicopter landing area (Show-jumping grounds)
Note: The first and third pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©. The second picture of G-JUMP was taken by Mr Graham Frost at FAIROAKS.
Operated by: Mr Douglas Bunn t/as Hickstead Ltd
Location: Just W of the A23, about 3nm W of Burgess Hill town centre
Period of operation: Possibly from the start in 1960?
Runway: 02/20 720 mostly grass (Hard standing at northern end)
Note: The runway orientation when used would almost certainly have been different. Probably 01/19?
NOTES: We have Mr Graham Frost, a great friend of this 'Guide', to thank for pointing out this omission in the listings.
Attempting to get a fuller picture of the history has been very frustrating. I can find nothing describing the period when the runway was being used. I suspect only in the 1960s and 1970s? Any advice will be most welcome.
A SMALL BIT OF DETAIL
It appears that Mr Douglas Bunn, after being banned from driving - "for the usual reasons", (the roadside breathalyser coming into play in 1967), decided to become a helicopter pilot as a means of getting around. And, he didn't hang about, purchasing the Bell 206B Jet Ranger II, named 'Gaydancer' which was registered to Hickstead Ltd on the 19th February 1971. He kept this until the 10th January 1979.
But, it appears, he had already acquired the replacement G-JUMP, an Agusta AB.206B Jet Ranger III, by the 26th July 1978. This was kept until the 24th April 1982.
A SIGNIFICANT EVENT
Graham Frost tells us that one of the first World Helicopter Championships was held here in 1972, and he was there! Nothing like it is today of course, but noted that one of the tests was lifting a bucket of water onto a table. As he says - not easy! He noted that a Hughes 269 D-HDUR was taking part, and the Reims-Cessna FR.172G Rocket G-AZCD had landed there.
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