RAF Linton-on-Ouse
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| RAF Linton-on-Ouse | |||
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| IATA: HRT – ICAO: EGXU | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Military | ||
| Operator | Royal Air Force | ||
| Location | Linton-on-Ouse | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 53 ft / 16 m | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Website | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 04/22 | 6,020 | 1,835 | Asphalt |
| 10/28 | 4,394 | 1,339 | Asphalt |
RAF Linton-on-Ouse (IATA: HRT, ICAO: EGXU) is a Royal Air Force station at Linton-on-Ouse near York in Yorkshire, England. It is currently a major flying training centre, one of the RAF's busiest airfields. It has satellite stations at RAF Topcliffe, RAF Church Fenton and RAF Dishforth. The station is currently commanded by Group Captain Mark Hopkins M.B.E.
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[edit] Motto and Mission Statement
[edit] Motto
The station motto "A Flumine Impugnamus" translates from the Latin as "From the mighty river we strike".
[edit] Mission Statement
The station's mission statement is:
Our mission is to train the pilots and weapons systems officers for tomorrow's Air Force
[edit] Station History
RAF Linton-on-Ouse opened on 13 May 1937 as a bomber airfield and was the home of No 4 Group until 1940. The base's first commander was Air Commodore Arthur T Harris.
When the Second World War started bombers were launched from Linton to drop propaganda leaflets over Germany and the base was eventually used to launch bombing raids on Norway, The Netherlands, Germany, and Italy.
At the end of the war the station was involved with transporting passengers and freight back to the UK. After which it became a fighter command station until it was closed for maintenance in 1957
On 9 September 1957 was reopened as the home of No 1 Flying Training Squadron and was responsible for training pilots for both the RAF and the Navy.
In 1985 engineering and supply services were contracted out to private firms. The contract for this is currently held by Voper Thorney Croft.
The current role of Linton is to provide fast-jet pilot training for RAF, Navy and Commonwealth pilots.
[edit] Satellite Stations
Linton is responsible for three satelite stations; RAF Church Fenton, RAF Topcliffe and RAF Dishforth.
[edit] RAF Church Fenton
RAF Church Fenton was opened in 1937 and served as a fighter base during the Second World War. Since 1973 the main role of Church Fenton has been pilot training and from 1998–2003 the station was the RAF's primary Elementary Flying Training centre.
The base is currently home to the Yorkshire Universities Air Squadron. Although parts of the airfield are now derelict and fenced off, the airside parts of the base are still active. The base has an active runway, used primarily for light aircraft, and a manned Air Traffic Control tower.
[edit] RAF Topcliffe
RAF Topcliffe was opened in 1940 as a bomber station under the control of RAF Bomber Command. In recent years the base has been primarily used for pilot training. It has been used by parachute display teams. The base is currently used by 645 Volunteer Gliding Squadron to training members of the Air Training Corps to fly self-launching gliders.
[edit] RAF Dishforth
RAF Dishforth opened in 1936 as a bomber airfield. After the war it began work as a training airfield and was used to convert pilots to the Douglas Dakota transport aircraft. The base is currently used as an Army Air Corps helicopter base and as a relief landing ground for Linton on Ouse.
[edit] Resident Squadrons
The squadrons based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse are 207(R) and 72(R) squadrons, both are Tucano squadrons. The Tucano is used as a primary fast jet training aircraft, and the squadrons which use them (207 and 72) are comprised of both RAF and RN Fleet Air Arm personnel. Also flying at Linton is No 642 Volunteer Gliding School, part of the Air Training Corps.
[edit] External links
- RAF Linton-on-Ouse
- World Aero Data airport information for EGXU
