ford , ▁with ▁a ▁request ▁stop ▁at ▁South end , ▁mainly ▁using ▁Short ▁Sc ion ▁aircraft . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁the ▁A ero ▁Club ▁expanded ▁its ▁training ▁role ▁by ▁taking ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁Civil ▁Air ▁Guard ▁scheme , ▁and ▁on ▁ 3 ▁July ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁No ▁ 3 7 ▁Element ary ▁and ▁Reserve ▁F lying ▁Training ▁school ▁( E & R FT S ) ▁was ▁set ▁up ▁here . ▁ ▁Stra ight ▁Corporation ▁established ▁an ▁engine ▁work shop ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁which ▁worked ▁for ▁their ▁own ▁fleet ▁and ▁also ▁took ▁on ▁outside ▁work . ▁ ▁After ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁the ▁air port ▁offered ▁scheduled ▁fl ights ▁to ▁South end ▁and ▁Jersey ▁by ▁Channel ▁Air ways ▁and ▁later ▁to ▁Amsterdam ▁and ▁Manchester ▁by ▁Su ck ling ▁Air ways . ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁char tered ▁fl ights ▁were ▁operated ▁by ▁air ▁tax i ▁firm , ▁Haw k ▁Air . ▁ ▁From ▁its ▁earliest ▁days , ▁the ▁air port ▁was ▁home ▁to ▁a ▁wide ▁variety ▁of ▁priv ately ▁owned ▁and ▁flying ▁club ▁operated ▁aircraft . ▁A ircraft ▁maintenance ▁services ▁were ▁provided ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 - built ▁hang ar ▁by ▁a ▁succession ▁of ▁based ▁av iation ▁engineering ▁fir ms . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 ’ s ▁it ▁was ▁home ▁to ▁a ▁th riv ing ▁par ach uting ▁club . ▁ ▁Military ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁units ▁were ▁posted ▁here ▁at ▁some ▁point : ▁ ▁No . ▁ 8 6 ▁Squadron