Go skywards in one of the most gorgeous parts of the country on these gyrocopter flights from Oxfordshire! Get to see the Thames as you cruise over the Chilterns in an open-cockpit gyroplane around Goring – this is just the sort of terrain gyros were built for.
Arriving at Chiltern Air Park you could be forgiven for thinking you’re in the middle of the Oxfordshire countryside miles away from any busy airport. In essence you’re quite correct because this is a charming privately-owned aerodrome where waiting for take off slots and queuing to taxi just doesn’t happen. All this means the atmosphere here at Chiltern is welcoming and relaxed – perfect for taking your inaugural flight in a gyro.
Having said that it is a rather unique set up at Chiltern Air Park. Look to one side of the road and you’ll see the hangar and clubhouse above it look across to the other side and you’ll see the finely-mown grass airstrip. But despite the country road between the two you still get excellent views of the line up of gyros that often fly in and congregate around the air strip and that’s what makes this place special – the number of gyro enthusiasts!
As for what you’ll be flying in the two full time instructors (who have clocked over 2000 gyro hours between them) are dedicated Magni fans so much so that they are agents for these Italian designed and built gyrocopters. For your flight you will most likely take off in a Magni M16 the popular trainer and tourer model. You’ll be sitting in tandem with your instructor and remember with no propellor in front of you you’ll have superb views all round.
And indeed this is a lovely part of Oxfordshire. You’re in the Chilterns right next to the weaving Thames and not far from Woodcote and Ipsden – classic English rolling fields of wheat and corn. You might be so enchanted by the view you’ll forget this flight can actually count as section 1a of the pilot syllabus including your chance to have a go at the controls.
But what we love most about these gyrocopter flights from this Oxfordshire base is the fact that the Air Park is very gyrocentric thanks to a very lively and active community of gyro owners and flyers with quite a line up of gyros based here.
