Great Britain has, over the years, been instrumental in many of the world’s key inventions – the internet, jet engines, hovercraft, radio, television, steam locomotive, the flush toilet, the iPod and so the list goes on.  The country also hosted the world’s first Grand Prix in 1907, when the first banked track was completed at Brooklands, near Weybridge in the county of Surrey, funded by wealthy landowner Hugh Fortescue Locke-King.  Shortly after the motor racing started, an airstrip was added in the central area where many early aviation pioneers saw their designs take to the air for the first time – Bleriot, Sopwith, A V Roe, Hawker and many others.  Motor racing continued to 1939 and aircraft production to the late 1980s when British Aerospace vacated their huge plant – which had been responsible for everything from Roe biplanes in WW1, Vickers Vimy, the VC-10 airliner and parts for the VTOL Harrier and of course, Concorde.

The Brooklands site is not without its history, and the a very successful Brooklands Museum hosts a wide range of artefacts from full-size and scale Concordes to world land speed record breakers.  Much of the central area is now occupied by Mercedes-Benz World, a demonstration track for the manufacturer’s wide range of vehicles and location for many key events.  So it is no surprise that a new helipad has been added at the northern end of the grass landing strip, which was itself retained by Mercedes as part of the planning agreement with the local council.  Check flights were held last Friday with JetRanger G-CHGL to verify details of the approach etc, and further details can be obtained from Julian Temple on +44 (0)1932 857381

HeliHub.com is based on the finishing straight of the Brooklands motor circuit

Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com