Bilbays Air Base

Bilbays Air Base File:Flag of Egypt.svg
قاعدة بلبيس الجوية
Bilbeis, Sharqia Governorate in Egypt
Site information
Type	Air Base
Owner	Ministry of Defense (Egypt)
Operator	Egyptian Air Force
Location
Coordinates
Site history
Built	1985 (1985)
In use	1985 - present
Airfield information
Elevation	27 metres (89 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 04/22 3,470 metres (11,385 ft) Asphalt 09L/27R 1,475 metres (4,839 ft) Asphalt 09R/27L 2,500 metres (8,202 ft) Asphalt 17L/35R 2,975 metres (9,760 ft) Asphalt 17R/35L 1,515 metres (4,970 ft) Asphalt

Bilbays Air Base is an Egyptian Air Force airbase located near Bilbeis, Sharqia Governorate, Egypt. It was formerly RAF Bilbeis, a Royal Air Force station operational during the Second World War.

The air base is home to the Egyptian Air Academy that operates No. 3 & 5 Squadrons which flies the Grob G 115EG as part of 101 Air Brigade, along with No. 28 and 29 Squadrons which flies the Hongdu K-8E as part of the 201 Air Wing and No. 54 Squadron which flies the Aérospatiale SA342L Gazelle as part of 301 Air Wing.

Former RAF units

• Detachment from No. 31 Squadron RAF between September 1941 and February 1942 with the Douglas DC-2
• No. 117 Squadron RAF between 3 November 1941 and 5 July 1943 with the de Havilland DH.86 Express, Lockheed Hudson VI, Lockheed Lodestar and the Douglas DC-3
• No. 162 Squadron RAF between January 1942 and 4 April 1943 with the Vickers Wellington IC, Bristol Blenheim IV & V
• No. 267 Squadron RAF between 18 August 1942 and 9 January 1943 with the Lodestar, Messerschmitt Bf 109F, Hudson IV & VI and the DC-3

See also

• List of North African airfields during World War II