Oxford Airport
KIDLINGTON: Military aerodrome later civil aerodrome (Aka OXFORD AIRPORT)
Note: In some quarters in recent years this airfield is also listed as, can you believe it, "LONDON OXFORD AIRPORT"! There is obviously a large degree of utter lunacy involved here, and I think the idiots responsible should be named and shamed.
Notes: All pictures by the author unless specified.
Operated by: 1960s to 2000s: CSE Aviation Ltd
Military users: WW2: RAF Flying Training Command 23 Group
20 AFU (Oxfords)
Polish Initial Training Wing 4 Glider Training School (Hotspurs & Lysander tugs)
Post 1945: RAF University Air Squadron
Airline users: Post 1945: Derby Airways*
Flying club/schools: Post 1945: CSE, Delta Aviation, Fly OB, Oxford Air Training School, Oxford Aeroplane Club, Oxford Aviation Training, Pilot Flight Training, Uplift Aviation
Note: In the 1957 The Aeroplane directory, the Oxford Aeroplane Club were listed as operating one DHC.1 Chipmunk and one DH82A Tiger Moth.
1959 ‘snapshot’. Oxford Aeroplane Club, St Edward’s Group
Gliding: Oxford Gliding Club
Note: In the 1957 The Aeroplane directory, the Oxford Gliding Club (Founded in 1938) were listed as operating here.
Helicopter ops: 1975: BEAS, Oxford Aviation Training
Maintenance: Post 1945: CSE Aviation
Location: W of A4260, E of A44, NW of Kidlington village, 4.5nm N of Oxford
Period of operation: 1938 until present day
Note: These maps are reproduced with the kind permission of Pooleys Flight Equipment Ltd. Copyright Robert Pooley 2014.
Runways: WW2: Steel matting
02/20 1042 grass 17/35 1042 grass 10/28 1200 grass
1965: 03/21 1097x46 grass 10/28 960x46 grass 13/31 884x46 grass
1990: 02/20 1554x23 hard 03/21 902x47 grass
09/27 884x47 grass 12/30 760x28 hard
Note: In 1993 it appears that the grass runway 03/21 is listed as being a 'Link Taxiway'
2000: 02/20 1200x23 hard 03/21 902x47 grass
09/27 884x45 grass 12/30 760x28 hard
(09/27 has a same size parallel relief runway on it’s north side)
In 2003 runway 02/20 hard was extended to 1552 metres
NOTES: It appears that Oxford University Air Squadron were the first to receive DHC.1 Chipmunks to replace their DH.89 Tiger Moths in February 1950.
AN ASTONISHING INTERLUDE?
Note: These three items were kindly provided my Mr Michael T Holder
In July 1950, from the 4th to the 7th, KIDLINGTON was used for the Royal Show. Which just goes to show how distorted the general picture of the U.K. was. Seemingly virtually bankrupt after WW2, with most people on rationing, it is clear from these pictures that in some quarters there was considerable wealth.
Indeed, I'm not sure, even today, that similar County Shows since, exceed anything quite like this scale?
But, hopefully now being an anorak, is the DH89A Dragon Rapide seen on the aircraft park, possibly G-AEMH operated by Spalding Airways, who offered daily flights from Lincolnshire to this event?
DERBY AIRWAYS
*Many sources state that Derby Aviation operated the airline service to Jersey but by 1958 the airline operating side had been renamed Derby Airways. The inaugural flight was by the Dakota G-APBC commanded by Capt. Fenton with Capt. Cramp as his co-pilot on the 23rd May 1958. The next day Capt. Cramp flew the first public service in the Marathon G-AMHR. The outbound flight flew direct but the return flight landed at EASTLEIGH (Southampton) to clear Customs.
As pointed out elsewhere I am at loss to comprehend the apparent threat posed by the Channel Islands? If, as is probably the case (?) the small-mindedness of HM Customs regarding a few passengers bringing back a few more fags or bottles of booze than Duty Free regulations allowed, demanding an airliner to divert for inspection, then the sheer waste and expense beggers belief. However, in the early days following WW2 the paranoia HM Customs had regarding the Channel Islands was such that all outbound flights from the mainland had to be inspected which obviously calls into question the sanity of those in charge? Indeed, on a private flight to Guernsey some years ago we landed at EASTLEIGH, (it could have been HURN/BOURNEMOUTH etc), to report to Special Branch on the way back. Why?
According to Capt B G Cramp in his excellent book ‘British Midland Airways’: “The 8th June witnessed a very near-miss overhead Oxford Airport involving Marathon G-AMHR en-route Sywell-Jersey, and an R.A.F. Beverley, Abingdon-based but working Weston-on- the-Green without control. As a direct result of this incident the Oxford-Jersey service was discontinued, much to the relief of the crews.” The above incident was in June 1959 so therefore the service lasted barely more than a year. Was the Derby Airways Jersey service the only scheduled airline operation to use KIDLINGTON up to this time?
A MIKE CHARLTON GALLERY
Note: These four pictures from postcards were kindly sent by Mike Charlton who has an amazing collection. See, www.aviationpostcard.co.uk
First picture: A line-up of six CSE Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawks. It appears that the Tomahawk was, once in service, was not much favoured by CSE, and having flown a couple of the type, I can see why. Although designed to be a basic trainer, it was sadly lacking in many respects. Seen in this line-up, G-OATS was operated by CSE from the 14th March 1978 until the 19th June 1981. G-BGBX from the 12th December 1978 until the 7th September 1981. And G-AGBW from the 8th November 1978 until the 18th May 1981.
Third picture: The aircraft in the foreground is G-BBSO, a Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee, which CSE operated from the 14th November 1973 until the 21st October 1981. I cannot read the registration of the Piper twin just beyond.
Fourth picture: As is so often said a picture is worth a thousand words. I would swear on oath that I had never heard of CSE conducting helicopter training. But clearly they did, operating G-BBXO at least from the 1st April 1974 until the 13th November 1986.
THE CSE ERA
CSE started operations in 1963 and at one stage KIDLINGTON was logging a quarter of a million movements each year making it the fourth busiest aerodrome in the UK. In 2005 Oxford Air Training (previously CSE?) celebrated forty years of training operations from this airfield.
In 2006 Pilot Flight Training were offering an unusual mix of types for training. Apart from the three Cessna 152s, two Cessna 172s, four PA-28 variants (140, 161 & 180) and a Slingsby T67 (did this fatally crash?), they also offered a Pitts S.2 and….a Rollason D62 Condor! I think they were possibly only one of two training organisations in the UK to offer a Condor in recent years? They were also operating from WELLESBOURNE MOUNTFORD in WARWICKSHIRE.
ANOTHER AIRLINE SERVICE
Would I be correct in thinking that the Manx2 scheduled airline service in 2012 was the first attempt after Derby Airways in 1959, to establish a regular airline service from KIDLINGTON? Has this remained?
POLLY VARCHER
This picture was taken, at OXFORD AIRPORT, in 2002 and between two of her most astonishing record breaking flights. Having flown around the world eastwards from January to May in 2001, her next project was to fly over both poles and seven continents. Departing from BIRMINGHAM airport, this she achieved between the 6th May 2003 and the 24th April 2004.
In 2007 she embarked on the 'Wings Around Britain Challenge' (from the 21st May to the 31st July) landing at 221 UK airfields listed in the Jeppersen 'Guide'.
Tim Clarke
This comment was written on: 2020-03-21 16:05:09Hi, I am currently archiving a number of photographs from my father's collection and have come across some of Oxford Air Training School with an Enstrom Helicopter with the registration of G-BBZA but cannot find any record of the dates. My father was at Kidlington from 1966 - 1971 training people on helicopters so yes they did do it!! Are you able to help with dates if I were to send the photos? Regards Tim Clarke
Dick Flute
This comment was written on: 2020-03-21 18:45:48Hi Tim, I cannot promise anything, but I'm happy to have a look if you can e-mail the picture/s. Best regards, Dick
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