Redhill Aerodrome

"KRH" redirects here. For the British army regiment, see King's Royal Hussars.
Redhill Aerodrome

Approaching Redhill to land in a Piper Cherokee
IATA: KRH[1] – ICAO: EGKR
Summary
Airport type Private-owned, Public-use
Operator Redhill Aerodrome Ltd
Location Nutfield, Surrey
Elevation AMSL 222 ft / 68 m
Coordinates 51°12′49″N 000°08′19″W / 51.21361°N 0.13861°W / 51.21361; -0.13861Coordinates: 51°12′49″N 000°08′19″W / 51.21361°N 0.13861°W / 51.21361; -0.13861
Website www.redhillaerodrome.com
Map
EGKR

Location in Surrey

Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
18/36 851 3,219 Grass
08R/26L 897 2,943 Grass
08L/26R 683 2,241 Grass
07/25 (unlicensed) 500 1,640 Asphalt taxiway
Sources: UK AIP at NATS[2]

Redhill Aerodrome (IATA: KRH, ICAO: EGKR) is an operational general aviation aerodrome located 1.5 NM (2.8 km; 1.7 mi) southeast of Redhill, Surrey, England, in green belt land.

Redhill Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P421) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Redhill Aerodrome Limited).[3]

Early history

The airfield came into use in the 1930s for private flying and it was used as an alternative airfield to Croydon Airport by Imperial Airways.

An Elementary Flying Training School was formed at Redhill in July 1937. Training continued at the start of the Second World War using the Miles Magister. The Fairey Battle was also flown particularly for use with the Polish Grading and Testing Flight.

With the threat of a German attack on the airfield the Flying Training School moved to northern England in June 1940.

RAF Redhill

With the withdrawal of the Flying Training School the airfield became an operational RAF station. First to move in were 16 Squadron operating the Westland Lysander. The Lysanders did not stay long and RAF Redhill had many short-term deployments of mainly fighter squadrons.

In August 1942 the airfield had five squadrons based. By the end of 1943 the fighter squadrons had moved on and the airfield was used by support units until the end of the war.

Flying squadrons during the Second World War

Postwar

The airfield returned to civilian use in 1947 but was suspended in 1954. In 1959 flying resumed at Redhill when the Tiger Club moved in. The following year Bristow Helicopters started to use Redhill as an operating base and carry out helicopter maintenance for the next 40 years.

The airfield is still operated for private flying and training, with an emphasis on helicopter operators. Pilots can use three grass runways. Information on the aerodrome's state can be found on the operator's, Redhill Aerodrome Limited, website.[4]

Charter and private arrivals and departures can be tracked on the Aerodrome Information website.[5]

The aerodrome has its own Air Traffic Control[6] and fire and rescue services (Redhill Fire Fighting Service[7]). The fire and rescue service is H2/Cat2 and has two fire appliances that carry over 1400 litres of fire fighting fluids between them as well as rescue equipment. The fire crews also operate the bowsers used to refuel aircraft.

The airfield has also been the venue for the flying displays and aviation trade shows, including the annual Redhill Airshow in the past, which was focused around a charitable cause.

About to land on runway 26L in a Piper Cherokee

On 17 May 2012 it was announced that the owners of Redhill Aerodrome had again submitted a planning application for a hard runway[8] after the previous plan had been rejected in 2011.[9] Opponents at the time, including local MP Sam Gyimah, argued that the runway would "create an unacceptable level of noise and pollution and destroy the landscape". In June 2013 the second application was also refused.[10]In February 2014 the aerodrome lost a planning appeal; it was appealing against the June 2013 decision to reject the planning application. [11]

At the start of 2013, the Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance service relocated its helicopter to Redhill from Dunsfold Aerodrome in order to enable it to provide a night flight service across Kent, Surrey and Sussex.[12]

On 24 December 2013, the aerodrome suffered storm damage and flooding, with some light aircraft overturned.[13]

Redhill Airshow

The Redhill Airshow was a "garden party" style event held at Redhill Aerodrome until 2006.[14] The show has seen flypasts by the Red Arrows and displays from the Royal Air Force solo display teams, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight including the Lancaster Bomber as well as popular warbirds such as Spitfire MH434, and Rob Davies' North American P-51 Mustang.

In June 2015, a smaller airshow was introduced under the title of the Redhill Aviation Festival.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Redhill Aerodrome NOTAMs
  2. ↑ "Redhill - EGKR". Nats-uk.ead-it.com. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
  3. ↑ Civil Aviation Authority Aerodrome Ordinary Licences Archived 28 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ "Redhill Aerodrome". Redhill Aerodrome. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
  5. ↑ "Aerodrome Information". Redhillaerodrome.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
  6. ↑ "ATC". Redhill Aerodrome. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
  7. ↑ "Fire & Rescue". Redhill Aerodrome. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
  8. ↑ "Redhill Aerodrome to submit new runway plan". BBC News. 17 May 2012.
  9. ↑ "Second council turns down Redhill runway plan". BBC News. 16 December 2011.
  10. ↑ "Redhill Aerodrome Concrete Runway Plan Rejected". BBC News. 6 June 2013.
  11. ↑ "Redhill Aerodrome runway appeal dismissed by Planning Inspectorate". getSurrey. 18 February 2014.
  12. ↑ "Air ambulances to fly at night in Sussex, Kent and Surrey". bbc.co.uk. 2012-10-18. Retrieved 2013-12-13.
  13. ↑ "Planes left scattered at Redhill Aerodrome after storm - ITV News". ITV. 2013-12-24. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  14. ↑ Alistair White. "Redhill Airshow, Vintage Fly-in, Garden Party & Collectors' Fair". Redhillairshow.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
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