Lustleigh
LUSTLEIGH: Private airfield reverting to airstrip
Note: The first four pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©. The local area and area views are from my Google Earth © derived database.
Location: Just S of the A382, about 2.5nm SE of Moretonhampstead town centre and roughly 12nm SW of Exeter city centre
Period of operation: Unknown? Perhaps from the late 1990s (?) to -
Runways: This is a most unusual location. As a general rule aeroplanes and trees do not mix well - quite the opposite. And yet here we have a site surrounded by trees, and, with minimal length runways too.
Looking at the 2001 and 2006 pictures above, in those days there appear to be three runways? In 2006 for example, 14/32 (N) 150 grass, possibly extended to 190m in total? 17/35 105 grass 14/32 (S) 80 grass
Later there was only the one runway, the one described as 14/35 (N) above, and with roughly the same dimensions. The 2018 picture shows a shorter runway than than 2022 picture.
NOTES: We have Mr Graham Frost, a great friend of this 'Guide' to thank for pointing out this location. He also tells us, that in 2006 at least, a Tecnam P92-EA Echo was based here. Tecnam seem to have almost as many varieties of the P92 series as Heinz have in tins, and basic performance figures give a take-off distance of 140 metres and a landing distance of 100 metres. So, clearly, with this P92-EA having only the 80hp Jabiru 2200A bolted on, with just the pilot, these figures can be considerably improved upon.
This said, it appears the Sting Carbon TL2000UK, G-CEPS, was also based here from June 2010 to June 2013 before being exported to the Czech Republic.
As always with this 'Guide', if anybody can kindly offer advice and information, this will be most welcome. Pictures are much appreciated too, preferably as jpgs, max file size 500KB.
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