Bicester

History

Bicester airfield has an aviation heritage stretching back to before the First World War, and has been a home for Gliding for over half a century.

The first recorded landing at Bicester was in 1911, but activity did not pick up until 1916 when the airfield became an Army Air Corps training base. After a brief period of inactivity following the war, the airfield was brought back into use as a bomber assembly and training base during the Second World War.

Gliding began at Bicester in 1956 with the creation of the Windrushers Gliding Club. In 1963, the Royal Air Force Gliding & Soaring Association moved to Bicester, and merged with the Windrushers club, to form the RAFGSA Centre, the focal point of RAF Gliding.

In 2004, the RAFGSA relocated the Centre to RAF Halton, potentially ending gliding at Bicester. However, a number of GSA and civilian members reformed the Windrushers Gliding Club, officially opening the club on July 1st 2004, allowing gliding to continue at Bicester.

Airfield

Bicester is a large, open, grass airfield, suitable for pilots of all expertise to fly from. It is (more or less) circular, allowing launches in just about any wind direction. Pilots returning from cross country flights will find no shortage of options for landing. The size of the airfield also means the launch point can be inset, providing a safe undershoot area, and reducing ground handling time following a landing.

The surface of the airfield is for the most part flat, but there are undulating areas. To all intents and purposes however, the entire area inside the perimeter track can be considered landable. The perimeter track is the only paved surface, and runs around the airfield. It dates from the WW2 era, and so is in a state of disrepair in some areas. It should be noted that the winch is often placed outside the perimeter track, with cables running across it and to the launch point. The route to drive or walk to the launch point varies depending on the wind direction that day. Be sure you know where to go before travelling out onto the airfield, you don't want to drive across the cables!

Local geography is fairly simple, with many landable fields, and a number of active and disused airfields in the surrounding area. An area to avoid, however, is the parachute drop zone around Weston-on-the-Green to the southwest. This is an airfield itself, with an active gliding club, but a local agreement keeps gliders from Bicester outside of the drop zone. Be sure to make yourself aware of the details of this agreement before going local soaring or cross country. Other possible airspace issues include Turweston Aerodrome, Oxford Kidlington Airport, and Hinton-in-the-Hedges parachute zone (incidentally, also a gliding site). Airspace above Bicester is clear up to Flight Level 55. Needless to say, be sure to have at least an up to date chart, and, if necessary, a brief from an appropriate instructor before heading off cross country!

Facilities

Having inherited several sturdy buildings on site, including a huge hangar, the gliding club at Bicester have excellent facilities. These include; recently upgraded and refurbished male and female showers and toilets, an 80 seat competition briefing area, full catering service, free wireless internet, and a fully stocked and licensed bar. While bunk room accommodation is limited, there is plenty of space for caravans and tents, and there will be no charge for pitching these during the competition.

Aircraft

The Windrushers Fleet consists of the following:

In addition to the WGC gliders, Oxford University GC have the following gliders which may also be available for use during the competition:

Windrushers GC guarantee at least 2 two seaters will be available for exclusive use of Inter Uni competitors, along with one professional instructor. Where possible, other gliders and instructors may be available.

Launching

The club operates two "Wizz" winches, ensuring there should always be winch launching facilities available. These winches provide average launches of around 1200ft, and are simple to drive. During the week a professional winch driver is available. This however, will add an extra £1 to the cost of a winch launch. Inter Uni competitors are allowed to drive the winch with the appropriate WGC authorisation.

Aerotow launches are available from the two club owned tug aircraft, either as part of a grid launch on good days, or as required for upper air work.