Coordinates: 52°14′30″N 002°52′52″W / 52.24167°N 2.88111°W / 52.24167; -2.88111

Shobdon Airfield

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Shobdon Airfield
Summary
Airport typePrivate
OperatorHerefordshire Aero Club Ltd
LocationShobdon
Elevation AMSL317 ft / 97 m
CoordinatesLua error in Module:Coordinates at line 489: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Map
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Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
08/26 836 2,743 Tarmac
08/26
Unlicensed
940 3,084 Grass
08/26
Unlicensed
308 1,010 Grass
Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1]

Shobdon Airfield (ICAO: EGBS) is an airport 6 NM (11 km; 6.9 mi) south of Shobdon village, and west of Leominster,[1] Herefordshire, England.

RAF Shobdon

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Shobdon started as a British Army camp. It acted as a reception point for casualties received from Southampton being distributed to local hospitals. With a depot railway station developed on the Leominster and Kington Railway, its first casualties arrived after the Battle of Dunkirk.[citation needed]

The camp was developed further by the United States Army from 1943, to act as a distribution point for two locally developed general hospitals. They also added a runway in co-operation with the Royal Air Force, but due to the marshy land only one runway was developed.[2]

In 1943, RAF No. 1 Glider Training School moved from RAF Thame to Shobdon,[3] enabling an increase in training of glider pilots in preparation for Normandy and Arnhem landings.[4]

The RAF Gliding School closed in 1953, when the site was handed to Herefordshire County Council.

Today

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Shobdon Airfield
File:Shobdon Airfield from the East.jpg
Shobdon Airfield from the East. Taken from a glider.

Shobdon Airfield has a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Ordinary Licence (Number P779) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Herefordshire Aero Club Limited).[5]

It is operated by Herefordshire Aero Club who provide light aircraft flight training together with aircraft storage.

Other air sports facilities based at Shobdon Airfield are:

  • Shobdon LAA Strut a kit-build group hold monthly social evenings
  • Tiger Helicopters offer helicopter flight training and maintenance.
  • Swift Light Flight microlight club and training school.
  • Herefordshire Gliding Club and training school.

From 1963 to 1990 Herefordshire Parachute Club was very active but now parachuting is no longer available at the airfield.

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b Shobdon – EGBS
  2. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ^ Civil Aviation Authority Aerodrome Ordinary Licences

Bibliography

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  • Brooks, Robin J. Herefordshire and Worcestershire Airfields in the Second World War. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • Pfuell, Ivor. A History of Shobdon. Published by Ivor Pfuell, 1994. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)..
  • United Kingdom AIP
  • Tony Hobbs "Flying For Fun in the Southern Marches" Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). Published by: Longaston Press.
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