Departure
91%
vs 95% ▼ 5
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Goodwood Aerodrome, also known as Chichester/Goodwood Airport, is a private, all-grass airfield on the edge of the Goodwood Estate near Chichester in West Sussex. Steeped in Battle of Britain history as the former RAF Westhampnett, it today combines a flying school and historic aircraft collection with a busy PPR-only visiting-pilot operation.
Goodwood Aerodrome sits at the heart of the Goodwood Estate, operated by the Goodwood Road Racing Company under a CAA Ordinary Licence. It is an all-grass operating environment with a flying school and historic aircraft based on the field, and it draws visiting pilots for both leisure flying and the estate's motoring and racing events. Its wartime pedigree as RAF Westhampnett, combined with its unusual location inside the loop of the Goodwood motor racing circuit, makes it a distinctive and rewarding destination for a VFR visit.
The aerodrome lies about 1.5 nautical miles north-northeast of Chichester, West Sussex, on the Goodwood Estate. It was established as a satellite of the former RAF Tangmere, which lies nearby, and its perimeter track now forms the Goodwood motor racing circuit.
Goodwood has three physical grass runways, all lit. The main runway, 14/32, is the longest at 3757 ft in the 14 direction and 3675 ft in the 32 direction. Runway 06/24 offers 2347 ft available in the 06 direction and 2803 ft in the 24 direction. Runway 10/28 is 2293 ft in both directions. There is no ILS at the field.
Goodwood Information provides an Air/Ground or Flight Information Service on 122.455 MHz. There is no instrument approach or ILS available, so arrivals should plan for a visual approach.
Goodwood operates as an all-grass environment with limited apron parking, and a Flight Information Service is provided by the aerodrome's Air Traffic team, who also handle prior permission requests from visiting aircraft. During published operating hours the aerodrome maintains RFF Category 1 fire cover, with Category 2 available on request. Prior permission (PPR) is required for all visiting flights.
The aerodrome is readily identified by its position within the loop of the Goodwood motor racing circuit, which encircles the airfield's perimeter track, and by its proximity to Chichester some 1.5 nautical miles to the south-southwest.
The airfield was built during the Second World War by the Royal Air Force as a relief landing ground for the nearby station at Tangmere, on the site of the former Westhampnett Farm within the Goodwood Estate, and was known as RAF Westhampnett. During the Battle of Britain it was home to two fighter squadrons, 145 Squadron and 602 Squadron. From 27 July 1942 it was used by the United States Army Air Forces' Eighth Air Force, hosting the 308th and 309th Fighter Squadrons of the 31st Fighter Group flying Supermarine Spitfire Vs; the group flew its first operational sorties from the airfield on 10 September 1942 before moving on to North Africa and Italy later that year. After the war the site was returned to the Goodwood Estate, and from the late 1940s its perimeter track was adapted for motor racing, becoming the well-known Goodwood Circuit. A statue commemorates a famous fighter ace who flew his last sortie from the airfield in its RAF Westhampnett days.
Goodwood today operates a flying school alongside a collection of historic aircraft, and hosts a Spitfire that has flown almost 43,000 kilometres visiting more than twenty countries. The aerodrome supplies AVGAS 100LL and Jet A1 from a bowser, with AVGAS also available from a fixed installation, and fuelling ceases fifteen minutes before closing. Prior permission (PPR) is required for all visiting aircraft, arranged through the aerodrome's Air Traffic team.
