Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
By Barcli
#1066427
Need to get to a place south of Canterbury but Maypole is to the NE and Clipgate a little short.
Have found reference to " Canterbury Airfield" to the east of Canterbury but nothing else ? Does it no longer exist ?
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By The Kid from Red Bank
#1066432
Canterbury hasn't existed for years. I last landed there in 1995, closed shortly after that... :(
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By Adrian
#1066502
And when it did exist, it was a few miles West. Sadly people had a tendency to misjudge the slope and end up on the A2 by mistake. :(
By IMCR
#1066525
I seem to recall one way in one way out always towards the forest with the a2 behind?
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By GrahamB
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1066558
The Kid from Red Bank wrote:Canterbury hasn't existed for years. I last landed there in 1995, closed shortly after that... :(

So it was your fault then? :)
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By Peter Geldard
#1066578
Sadly Canterbury airfield closed a few year's back.
I was involved in trying to save it, but although the field was quite close to Canterbury itself, it came just into the Swale district area of local government who weren't interested in 'the needs of Canterbury' type of arguement.
It didn't help that the former owner (now dead) misused the field. It was orginally licensed under the 28 day rule but in the court case that followed an application it was shown that he had mislead the Council over its use and his claims that certain log books were missing was exposed by the lawyers. If he had waited his time, he would have got permission automatically. As it was, he arranged 'fly-in's' etc which caused locals to complain which worked against the cause.
Great shame: Another airfield lost to GA.
It was a difficult one to get in/out of, but not impossible with proper briefing. It had the advantage that it was a 'hard' runway - being built from 'surplus' tarmac used to create the A2! It still remains as a Go Cart circuit.
Perhaps some day, a new owner might try again.
By The Kid from Red Bank
#1066581
So it was your fault then?


Haha yes probably, my Mrs always seems to think things are my fault. :thumleft:

If I remember rightly, Canterbury was like landing at a disused building site. Which it technically was, as I seem to recall that the land there was used as a construction dump when the A2 was dualled and then used as as the airstrip. No wonder there were many accidents and overruns, which I believe, was the death knell for the strip.


Edited to say: Peter and I obviously had the same thoughts at the same time.
By ROG
#1066988
Landed there twice---quite exciting--very steep hill as I recall--. You took off and frightened motorists on local a road or motorway. I beleive if you visited you were given a canterbury airfield mug--we were promised one and actually saw a cracked one , but never got one--anyone out actually receive one.?
AS FAR AS I REACALL THE SURFACE WAS LOOSE ASPHALT , STONEY STUFF-is it still there or now gawn?
Beleive finally closed after someone crunched onto road after takeoff.
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By Keef
#1067009
ROG wrote:I beleive if you visited you were given a canterbury airfield mug


You were. I visited, I have the mug. It stores pencils on my desk.

I flew in once, in the AC12. M was petrified as we flew low over the A2, with a forest at the end of the runway. As Peter says, there's a long story behind it.
By chevvron
#1067449
Wasn't there another strip to the east of Canterbury?(Bekesborne) I remember finding it on http://www.flashearth.com (which uses 'old' satellite photos) when I was researching the area prior to the opening of LARS East. It was oriented something like 01/19 and was tarmac with a turning loop at one end. Just looked at flashearth and the remains of one west of Canterbury are still visible just north of the junction of the A2 dual carriageway with what is obviously the 'old' A2 now called Canterbury Road. For a short time it even had a location indicator and it may even have been in the AIP.
Edit: Hmm just found another off Denstead Lane just north of a village called Chartham Hatch; looks to be about 07/25 grass about 600m posn N51deg 16min 40sec E001deg 00min 54sec
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By ray
#1067463
Not Canterbury, but Woodchurch airfield to the South West of Canterbury and Ashford might be worth a look into. It is privately owned by Rob Davies and contact details can be found on the web. I recall it being strictly PPR but I haven't landed there for years.
By Pilotdw
#1342790
I went there the other day for a long walk about , the airfields untouched .. still with the remains of a rotting moblie home/ clubhouse and toilet block in one corner . I walked for an hour or so before bumping into very nice off - duty police dog handler . who said the airfield is only used by them for occasional training but the land is still Privatly owned .
The runway is still all there just overgrown at one end . It's shuch a shame this place closed I would love to of flown in as I live locally . I'v read a lot of stories and AAIB reports on the airfield and the PA28 crash that took place 1998 and assumed that's why it closed ?? I really hope that one day someone might reopen the airfield.