Thruxton sold
 

After 60+ years of running Thruxton the operating company Western Air (Thruxton) Ltd is selling the site. The sale should be complete at the end of April.

Contrary to many rumours currently circulating the future of the aerodrome is secure. The new operating company, Thruxton Circuit Ltd, have issued a statement indicating that the aerodrome will remain licensed with an indication of further improving its facilities.

After 60+ years at the helm the Western Air MD, Henry Pelham, is retiring. May you have a long and happy retirement Henry, thank you for your support to the GA community.

I got my PPL at Thruxton in 1964 and my memory is that the boss was a retired squadron leader with a double-barrelled name, unlikely to be still alive today.

Major Mike Somerton-Raynor?

He was ex-Army I think and kept a JetRanger and an Auster in a little hangar on the airfield, not sure if he was the owner or not...

Owner he was not, Henry bought the site and operated the aerodrome from 1959.

As for the Auster, probably the originally 9M- registered Auster 3 that Maj Somerton-Rayner ferried back to UK, in the many decades before GPS!

Thruxton was a few minutes bike ride from my home in Shipton Bellinger. I instructed and towed for the Inkpen Gliding Club during a brief return from USA. Good to hear that flying will continue there.

Ah, in trying to answer Maoraigh1's comment I'd overlooked your comment about Henry Pelham!

Mike S-R's Auster that I recall was an AOP-11 - I think actually I saw that at Middle Wallop and the Jet Ranger was on it's own in the hangar which was on the road up from the A303. This was 1979.

Looking at the Auster 3, he registered it in December 1960; a long way in such an aeroplane. I'm just re-reading Two Men in a Flying Machine by John Morris, how he flew the GAL Monospar now at Newark from Australia to the UK in '63. That was quite an arduous adventure at times...

Two gentlemen with double barrel monikers are associated with the Thruxton Jackaroo. Squadron Leader J E Doran-Webb was the Managing Director of the Wiltshire School of Flying: he had the idea of building a four seat aircraft based on the de Havilland 82A Tiger Moth. Lieutenant Commander Pat Shea-Simmonds first flew the prototype Jackaroo... G-AOEX on the 02 March 1957 at Thruxton.

Squadron leader Doran-Webb was the guy - I think he used a monocle.
I remember seeing an Auster with a Lycoming engine and an underbelly extra fuel tank.

Great to hear its continuing. Not sure how true it is, but I had heard the airfield was originally bought by Henry Pelham's father.

It was likely Auster 5 G-ALXZ which was in the ownership of Michael Somerton-Rayner from Sept 65 to Jan 69. He brought the aircraft back from Germany where it had been on the German register as D-EGOF. The aircraft is still airworthy and flies wearing military marks NJ689......
Take a peek at some ""pics "" here:- https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/search?..._fields=%5B%5D

My Thruxton time was 27/7 to 21/8 1964. Cheapest PPL In the UK.
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Out of touch with the area now, even with the memory of departing from a plane before it landed (!), is the income/potential from the airport in aviation or
auto activities? And, is the Optica still resident and active?!

Perhaps part and part? The world is (mostly) not black vs. white...

Great to hear the old girl is still flying :) - she was our Glider Tug at Old Sarum in a previous life.
Auster at Old Sarum circa 1989.....

https://i.imgur.com/fbZUCBS.jpeg

Were you the one who landed astride the winch cable as I was about to launch?

Noooh, that would make me ccross my legs. More memorable was our instructor who was making humourous comments about accidents and our chances of survival. This was not appreciated by the owner/manager of the company who overheard the briefing for our first jump. We were all ATC cadets so could accept the banter.

My time at Thruxton was July 1962 as a CCF cadet on a Flying Scholarship, Cheapest and quickest PPL at 13 days start to finish.And I still keep my aeroplane there!

Great news to hear it has a promising future as a GA airfield.

Motorcycle connection.
 

There was also the famous 1964 Thruxton Velocette, that was a souped up 500cc Velocette Venom. This was made for the Thruxton 500 mile endurance race on the perimeter track.

If we're talking about Thruxton creations, don't forget the famous Jackaroo. A 4-seat enclosed light aeroplane, converted from post war Tiger Moths.

G

My first ever visit to Thruxton was on 16 September 1962....Thruxton Air Races. Remember chatting to Squadron Leader Ken Wallis who was there with his autogyro G-ARRT..... MJ