Arun & Chichester Air Enthusiasts Society
www.airaces.org.uk
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Our AVIATION friends
| We support | Other Societies | Museums |
AirACES Support
Since 2013 up until the Covid-19 pandemic AirACES have divided the raffle proceeds between 2 good causes and thanks to your great support of our monthly raffles we were able to give on average around £500 to each one per year.
At 2018 year's AGM we voted to continue to work in conjunction with Southdown Gliding Club(SGC) to help fund young people to enjoy gliding and at the same time add to their training - specifically winch launches to give low level circuits and landing experience. SGC have an established Junior Cadet section who we will again support. SGC have been very supportive to AirACES in the past - even bringing a glider fuselage to our AirACES junior event at the hotel, and a number of our members have taken the opportunity to experience gliding at their airfield near Parham house.
For our second good cause we voted to support the Kent, Surrey, Sussex Air Ambulance (KSSAAT). A well know and vital life saving charity with an aviation conection.
- Southdown Gliding Club
- The club is a great place to try out gliding and they are located just north of the South Downs ridge just west of Storrington
at Parham Airfield. Walking the South Downs Way you will often see gliders soaring just a few hundred feet above you, especially
in northerly winds. On good summer days, the gliders use thermals and its not unusual for them to fly over a hundred miles away
AND get back. The club has over 50 gliders based at its own airfield and offers introductory flights as well as full membership
giving training to Glider Pilot Licence level and beyond. They also have some interesting videos on their website so go and take a look.
- Kent Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance Trust KSSAAT
- KSSAAT is the formal name of what we all know as our "Sussex Air Ambulance". The KSSAAT Air Ambulance is an independent charitable healthcare provider working with the Ambulance Service. They are not part of the NHS and they are funded almost entirely by voluntary donations.
Other Sussex & Hants Aviation Societies
There are a surprising number of activities for aviation enthusiasts in the West Sussex area. As you know AirACES talks are held in the Chichester Park Hotel just south of Goodwood aerodrome on the 4th Monday of the month. So here goes with a few links to other nearby independant organisations, similar to ourselves, which arrange talks and outings which may interest our AirACES members.
- Chichester and District Model Aero Club
- The Chichester and District Model Aero Club - CADMAC is affiliated to the BMFA and flies from three locations: (1)_Thorney
Island with its paved runway: (2)_A field at a farm site near Sidlesham: (3)_A stunning slope on the Goodwood EstateBeginners or experienced
flyers are equally welcome, if you are interested then visit their website and see if you may be eligible to join the Club.
- Bishop's Waltham Aviation Group BWAG
- BWAG are a non-profit group of aviation enthusiasts for whom a series of monthly talks of aviation interest and
occasional visits are arranged. The group meet in The Stables Parish Centre, Bishop's Waltham, Hants. Check
their website for details of their talks.
- Gosport Aviation Society
- The society is heavily involved with researching the local flying history of the Gosport area, including but by no means only the Gosport Aircraft Company.. They hold monthly meetings and arrange talks and trips.
- South Hampshire Historical Aviation Society
- If the AirACES talks in Chichester are too far for you to travel to, or you need to attend even more "Aviation Evens" as we do. Then
if you are close to Romsey, Hants then why not give our friends over in the SHHAS a visit. As well as talks they also arrange their own annual fly-in.
- The Solent Aviation Society
- This established group has monthly meetings in Eastleigh. Due mainly to rising printing costs they
have transferred their "Osprey" magazine to an online
version available on their website, and there you will also find an interesting photo gallery, and "For Sale" sections.
Plus of course details of their future meetings.
They have also organised an annual fly-in at Popham in September most years since 1993.
- 1st Bersted Air Scout Group
- 1st South comprise boys & girls covering the age ranges 6 - 14 in Beavers, Cubs, and Scouts.
As an Air Scout Group, they include an "Air" related activity to their programme in addition to the more general
scouting activities. These have included trips to Tangmere museum and Goodwood airfield, and gliding with
Southdown Gliding club.
They thanked AirACES for the raffle money donated to them in 2016 which they used to buy new tents and other camping equipment.
- Shoreham Airport Society
- SAS as it is fondly known meets monthly in the wonderful art deco airport building at Shoreham Airport where its main activity is to
arrange talks on aviation subjects. Some of the current committee members of AirACES are also long time members of
SAS, and regularly attend both societies talks.
SAS decided in 2008 to no longer maintain their website, but SAS is still very much active so this link will show you a list of their current year's program of talks. For membership etc you can find their contact details on the old SAS website.
- Bognor Regis RAFA 381
- Bognor Regis RAFA 381 branch. This has the most wonderful clubhouse with bar and resturant located in Waterloo Square (opposite the Pier)
Bognor. The club's main aim is to support and honour those past and present personnel & families serving in the Royal Air Force. In the past they
had regular aviation talks and I had attended a number of these before realising that you did not have to be ex-RAF in order to become a "club member".
Sadly they now only have the very occasional aviation talk, so see their facebook and website for details.
Aviation Museums and Aviation Clubs
There are also a number of Flying Clubs and Aviation Museums locally - if you are thinking of visiting the area you may like to plan a visit to some of these. The museums also arrange occasional talks and special events so take a look at their websites for details.
- Southdown Gliding Club
- The club is a great place to try out gliding and they are located just north of the South Downs ridge just west of Storrington
at Parham Airfield. Walking the South Downs Way you will often see gliders soaring just a few hundred feet above you, especially
in northerly winds. On good summer days, the gliders use thermals and its not unusual for them to fly over a hundred miles away
AND get back. The club has over 50 gliders based at its own airfield and offers introductory flights as well as full membership
giving training to Glider Pilot Licence level and beyond. They also have some interesting videos on their website so go and take a look.
- Tangmere Military Aviation Museum
- Tangmere Military Aviation Museum is situated in a corner of the old RAF Tangmere airfield, famed for its illustrious service from 1916 through to the post-war years. The Museum is home to an impressive display of historic aircraft and a unique collection of aviation memorabilia stretching from the First World War through to the Cold War. Amongst the many attractions, are numerous interactive displays and several aircraft simulators for visitors to experience.
- Wings Museum
- Dedicated to remembering & recording the history of RAF Redhill, this WW2 Remembrance Museum is housed in a
"hangar" style building near Balcombe, Sussex. It includes much original memorabilia associated with
the station as well as a comprehensive collection of photographs & documents.
They also have other themed original memorabilia representing: The Home Front, Fighter Command, The Blitz,
Battle of Britain, Bomber Command, US 8th Air Force, Luftwaffe, Russian Front, D-Day & more.
Items include recovered aero engines, airframes, uniforms, equipment & medals.
- Boscombe Down Aviation Collection
- Based in hangers at Old Sarum Airfield this museum has a very interesting collection of fast jets to see, and aims to
preserve the history of nearby Boscombe Down so also has a Chipmunk and to celebrate the 90th Anniversary of Boscombe
Down the museum built a replica BE2B, the first aircraft to land at Boscombe Down Airfield in November 1917. Don't forget
to view their facebook pages for recent updates as to what is going on.
- Ridgeway Military & Aviation Research Group (RMARG)
- Formed in 1991 to collect, record and preserve WW2 history from the area together with other military and
aviation matters Covering Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire. Monthly meetings held on the last Thursday
of the month at RAF Welford where they also have their small but unique museum.
Check their website BUT email them first if you wish to visit as even their talks are held on an active military base.
- Goodwood Aero Cafe
- A wonderful location to go and watch modern and historic planes both on the ground and flying whilst you enjoy just a cup of coffee or a full meal in the cafe. Now housed in the old control tower while the new clubhouse is being built. Outside seating for when the weather is fine and an enviable view of the aerodrome. Spitfire, Pitts, Harvard, Boeing Stearman, Tiger Moth, Chipmunk they are all there.... and you don't have to be a member of the Aero Club to go and enjoy this.
- Goodwood Aero Club
- Goodwood Aero Club is full of people for whom flying is their passion. Whether just as a spectator, passenger or pilot all are
catered for. Originally an RAF airfield during World War II as RAF Westhampnett, the area is steeped in flying memories.
During the Goodwood Revival, Members and their guests are given their own special area centred around the Flying Club building,
and exclusive access to the Warbirds which perform at Goodwood.
For the latest information follow them on Facebook.
- Boultbee Flight Academy
- This is where a number of the lovely planes you can see from Goodwood Aero Cafe are based. They have a base and hanger just to the north of the aero club. They were also the location for the launch of the book "TO WAR IN A SPITFIRE" by Mark Hillier, Dieter Sinan and Greg Percival. All pilots you may just see at Goodwood.
- Jet Aircraft of WW II
- If your interest is in WW II aviation then we have been sent an interesting link, by Alexa, to a page of information on many types of WWII jet aircraft that you may find worth a visit.
- Club Master Membership software by Art Software
- Our society has kindly been provided with a free copy of ClubMasterLite to more easily manage our society membership records for our
new society. We started as many do being self sufficient using just a spreadsheet
open office or Excel) but were looking for something with a better user interface. Check the weather
before you go.
- Good snacks available on the way home at north end of A285 Best Kebab Van, Petworth.