Parham
PARHAM: Military/civil aerodrome later gliding site (aero-tows)
Note: All four of these pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©
Military users: RFC (Royal Flying Corps) WW1 and RAF (Royal Air Force) WW2?
Note: Some might wonder why I spell out RFC and RAF in this 'Guide'. The reason is very simple, people from around the entire world visit this web-site, so we shouldn't expect them to understand our standard abbreviations.
Civil users: GA/gliding, 1920s to - . Parham Gliding Club
Location: N, (and E as the road bends), of the A283, 3nm SE of Pulborough, just NW of Storrington
Period of operation: WW1 (1914?) to today (more or less continuous use albiet with periods of disuse?)
Runway: 2000? 04/22 grass
2010: 04/22 660x25 grass
NOTES: An AAIB report in 2010 regarding an incident involving the PA-18-150 Super Cub G-BEOI being used as a glider tug obviously indicates gliding activity still taking place here.
There is another story told to me, and that is about an Andreasson BA4B, G-AYFW, gaining permission to land at HEATHROW in or around 1977? Apparently flown in by Mike Carlton, who, despite owning the aeroplane, (or so it seems?), had had it registered to the Parham Gliding Club, where, equipped with a tow hook, it often performed as a glider tug.
This story is, it now appears, quite correct. But, it boggles my little brain to think about such an aeroplane undertaking such duties as a glider tug. Can anybody confirm this, and please, add more history to this airfield.
Craig Lowrie
This comment was written on: 2019-11-10 09:45:08The BA4b towed gliders but was lost in a crash caused by engine problems. The Southdown Gliding Club bought the airfield in 2009 and has been based there since 1974. Gliders fly as far afield as Yorkshire and back on good gliding days.
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