0 out of 5

Plessey Southern Flying Group

Goodwood Aerodrome, Goodwood, West Sussex, PO18 0PH, United Kingdom (UK)

Based at Goodwood Aerodrome, The Plessey Southern Flying Group was established as a registered training facility, back in 1970, originally as part of the Plessey Electronics social function. Since then we have been responsible for training hundreds of pilots, many of which have spent long careers in the airlines, or just enjoyed the pleasure of flying recreationally.

Showing all 4 results


Robin R2160i For Hire at Goodwood Aerodrome The Robin R2160i is a French single engine two seat aerobatic aircraft equipped with tricycle undercarriage. This aircraft is available… VIEW DETAILS
60 Minute Endeavour Flying Experience at Goodwood Aerodrome The Endeavour Flight allows an experience beyond the vicinity of the airfield, taking in the beautiful towns, villages & landscapes… VIEW DETAILS
60 Minute Endeavor Flying Trial Lesson with Lunch & Video at Goodwood Aerodrome After this flying experience you will enjoy a lunch with your instructor at the Aerodrome, & a souvenir video will… VIEW DETAILS
30 Minute Trial Flying Lesson at Goodwood Aerodrome The Taster Flight is a short, yet unforgettable & thrilling flight experience that will take place in the vicinity of… VIEW DETAILS

Why Should You Fly With Us

Not for profit: We are a not for profit flight training school – Meaning that the school exists for the benefit of all members, therefore flight instruction & solo hire is usually cheaper than most commercial operators.

Our Location – We are based at the historic airfield of Goodwood, just 90 minutes form London, in clear, open uncontrolled airspace

Passion – Our instructors are passionate about instruction, with our CFI Mike having instructed for the group for over 20 years

Social – Becoming a pilot is a lifestyle choice. Throughout the year we offer a number of opportunities for our group to come together socially

Instructors in the know. Our instructors have been taught by the group & have flown from Goodwood for many years

Beyond The PPL: . We can provide training for the Night Rating, The IR(R), & offer the aircraft for solo hire

Our History

Early in 1970, 8 Plessey employees including John Martin, Peter Harris & Arthur Bickers from West Leigh & John Hammond & Keith Stroud from Titchfield, met in a local pub to discuss the idea of forming a flying group.

The Plessey (Southern) Flying Group was agreed as the name for the group. John Martin suggested that the new venture would require funding & it was agreed that the 8 would each contribute £2. So the fledgling group had a name, 3 qualified pilots & £16 in the kitty! This meeting was quickly followed by a meeting in the West Leigh cinema attended by about 20 Plessey employees where the idea of the group was explained. This resulted in the recruitment of a dozen or so students & the formation of the The Plessey (Southern) Flying group on the 4th April as a sub-section of the West Leigh Sports & Social Club. It was agreed that Peter Harris & John Hammond would be joint chairmen, John Martin would be treasurer & that Frank Goatcher, at that time a PPL, would take the instructors’ course & become the group’s first instructor.

The aims of the group were ‘to promote flying & to provide facilities for training, recreational & sport flying for its members’. To achieve this aim we needed an aeroplane & an instructor. Should we buy, hire or build an aeroplane? The problem was resolved when we decided to hire a Rollason Condor, G-AWFO, a wooden low wing aeroplane with a tail wheel undercarriage & little else. Frank rushed off to Southend & reappeared a few weeks later clutching an Assistant Instructors Rating. All systems were now ‘go’ & the first training took place on the 28th March 1971 from Portsmouth Airport. The flying rate was £4-15s-0d (£4.75) per hour.

The Condor flew almost non-stop that first ultra- enthusiastic year with Frank notching up 236 instructional hours. In April 1972 -FO was replaced by a Glos. Airtourer, G-AWVH, a tough, aerobatic nose-wheel aircraft. For a short period –VH was replaced by another hired Airtourer, G-AZOE, until in August 1973 we purchased –VH. In December 1973 a cloud that had been on the horizon for some time appeared overhead when Portsmouth Airport closed. The airport had opened in 1932 but the final nail in the coffin came when 2 HS748s overran the runway & finished up in the Eastern road, fortunately without injury. Group members were active in a ‘Save Portsmouth Airport’ campaign but it was a lost cause. Today the airfield is a sad, untidy sprawl of industrial & private buildings.

On the 28th December 1973 the Group moved operations to Goodwood Airfield near Chichester. The enforced move ultimately proved to be to our advantage; the less built up surroundings made for safer flying & we also acquired the use of a hut as a base .

At the AGM of February 1976 the question of financial liability in the event of a serious accident was raised. Members were not happy with the ‘joint & several’ liability of a group operation. Consequently a limited company, Mardenair Limited, was formed in July 1976 to manage the Group’s affairs.

At about this time we were approached by members of the Post Office (later British Telecom) Flying Group with a view to combining our activities. It was agreed that the boost to the membership would be useful & accordingly the membership of the group was widened to include telecom members.

In November 1982 –CM was returned to the hirers. The group continued with –FF &, from April 1983 until March 1984, the occasional use of another Airtourer, G-AWVG, which was owned by a group member. In December 1983 we signed a private hire agreement for the use of a Robin 2112, G-TOUR. This arrangement worked well during 1984 with the 2-seat Robin being used mainly for training & the 4-seat Fugi used mainly for touring. In March 1985 the Fugi was returned to the owner due to his decision to sell. Later the private hire agreement for -UR was terminated & the aircraft was then purchased by a group member & leased to the group. This arrangement continued for several years until -UR was purchased by the group. We lost the use of –UR for a 5 month period from May to September 1987 during repair after a heavy landing at Neveravon, fortunately without injury to the crew. Luckily group members had regularly used Goodwood’s 4-seaters & G-BFFZ, a FR172K, filled in while the Robin was under repair. G-TOUR was operated by the group for almost 25 years until sold in January 2008 when the group purchased G-PSFG, a Robin 2160i. The two Robins (G-TOUR & G-PSFG) have proved to be ideal aircraft for the group providing a strong, robust trainer, a capable basic aerobatic mount & a useful touring aircraft.