Willingdon Levels
Note: This map gives only a very rough guess as to where the aerodrome was actually situated. If anybody can provide a more exact location, this will be much appreciated.
WILLINGDON LEVELS: Civil aerodrome later military aerodrome (aka EASTBOURNE AERODROME, St ANTHONY’S HILL and LANGNEY)
Operated by: 1911 to 1914: Eastbourne Aviation Co
Flying Schools: 1911 to 1914: Eastbourne Aviation School and Fowler Flying School also known as, (or later became?), the Eastbourne School of Flying
Note: This lovely period image, from a postcard was kindly sent by Mike Charlton who has an amazing collection. See, www.aviationpostcard.co.uk
It appears that the date of this postcard was 1912.
The inset picture of Mr V Yates fits in perfectly with my notes below.
Military users: WW1: RNAS Flying School 1915 to 1918
RAF Training Depot Station 1918 to 1919
Manufacturing: Eastbourne Aviation Co
Note: The factory was at THE CRUMBLES but presumably final assembly and flight testing of landplanes took place here.
Location: Roughly 2.5nm NE of Eastbourne town centre. St ANTHONY’S HILL / LANGNEY aerodrome was on the SE corner of Willingdon Levels
Period of operation: 1911 to 1920s?
Site area: When opened in 1911 the aerodrome had a “landing area 560 yards long.”
WW1: 242 acres 1829 x 914
NOTES:
It appears that Frederick Fowler established the Eastbourne School of Flying in December 1911 with a brace of Blériot XIs. On the face of it this seems a far-sighted move as he was still teaching himself to fly, gaining his RAeC certificate dated 16th January 1912!
How many people today I wonder will know that Eastbourne was once a ‘centre of excellence’ in British aviation?
THE EARLY DAYS
Ron Smith in his British Built Aircraft Vol.3 adds more detail: “The Eastbourne Aviation Co. (EAC) was established on the 1 December 1911 by F.B. Fowler and Victor Yates, with telegraphic address ‘Aircraft’ Eastbourne. In December 1911 the company was advertising ‘Tuition on genuine Blériot. Machines built to client’s own designs.’ The Blériot aircraft were acquired from the New Forest Aviation School (run by McCardle and Drexel) when this enterprise ceased trading in late 1911. A purpose-built trailer was used to transport the aircraft by road to Eastbourne.”
My note: The New Forest Aviation School was in BEAULIEU (HAMPSHIRE)
Ron Smith goes on to explain: “Mr Fowler purchased some fifty acres of land ‘in the South East corner of the Willingdon levels’ between St Anthony’s Hill and the Gas Works) and, by covering the intervening drainage ditches, produced a landing area, Langney aerodrome, some 560 yards long.” And, “By 1912, the school fleet had been expanded by the purchase of three Bristol ‘Boxkite’ biplanes, and EAC were advertising ‘Tuition on genuine Blériot monoplanes and Bristol biplanes. Inclusive fee for one type £65, for both types £90.’”
To put this into perspective, around this time a skilled painter and decorator might expect to earn seven pence an hour, or £3.10s for a fifty hour week. So learning to fly just one type would cost over eighteen weeks wages. If you accept that a similar craftsman today might easily expect to earn £500 or more a week (this was in 2005) it shows that the cost of learning to fly today has roughly halved.
Returning to Ron Smith, “In February 1913, tuition was being advertised on Farman Hydro-aeroplanes, Bristol and Sommer biplanes and three Blériot monoplanes.” The EAC was combined with Frank Hucks Waterplane Co in early 1913 to form a limited company, the Eastbourne Aviation Co. Ltd. For information on their seaplane operations in Eastbourne see THE CRUMBLES. Ron Smith gives a lot more information on the EAC operation from which I shall only ‘cherry pick’. The company constructed a number of original designs, one of the most notable being the EAC monoplane which was designed by a pupil at the EAC – Herr Gassler, and which featured ailerons for roll control – which in those days were almost only used on biplane designs. It created quite a stir at Flight magazine.
MANUFACTURING
By mid 1913 there were six hangars on the airfield but it seems most manufacturing activity had been centred at THE CRUMBLES. Another EAC pupil, Mr Vincent Hill, built his own Blériot monoplane in the summer of 1913 and the EAC built a tractor biplane in early 1914 for Lt. R E Hunt. An additional aircraft, the EAC Military Biplane, was built in 1914 and was displayed at the Olympia Aero Show in west London during March.
Presumably the Brocklehurst monoplane started flight trials here in January 1912? If not where else near Eastbourne? It appears not known if these trials were successful?
AFTER THE 'GREAT WAR'
It appears that in April 1920 this site was licensed as a civil aerodrome, but what was happening here? Does anybody now know? I suspect very little as the Eastbourne Aviation Company, along with so many other companies, struggled to survive after WW1 calling in the receiver in December 1922 although the company was not formally wound up until November 1932. See EASTBOURNE for some information about EAC on their 'joy-riding' operations using floatplanes.
Gladys Ranger
This comment was written on: 2017-12-13 22:06:02The workshops for the Eastbourne Aviation Company were at Caffyns Main Workshop along Seaside. The best research for the company is a book Called Eastbourne Aviation Company by Lou McMahon and Michael Partridge. It's full of photos plans and drawings and anecdotes from the beginning of the airfield to its closure . Fascinating read and all you need to know about the building and flying of the aircraft Including the training of the young men to b come pilots for the first war . Many of whom camfrom th Commonwealth to train here in Eastbourne
Reply from Dick Flute:
Dear Gladys, Many thanks indeed. I shall keep this posted. Best regards, Dick
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