RAF Little Rissington

RAF Little Rissington
RAF Little Rissington Main Site 2006
IATA: none ICAO: EGVL
Summary
Airport type	Military: Royal Air Force station
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	Royal Air Force
Location	Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire
Built	1938 (1938)
In use	1938–1994 (1994)
Commander	OC 2 FTS
Occupants	No. 637 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF
Elevation AMSL	730 ft / 223 m
Coordinates	51°52′N 001°42′W / 51.867°N 1.700°W / 51.867; -1.700Coordinates: 51°52′N 001°42′W / 51.867°N 1.700°W / 51.867; -1.700
Map
EGVL Location in Gloucestershire
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 04/22 4,902 1,494 Asphalt 09/27 3,560 1,085 Asphalt 13/31 3,232 985 Asphalt

OC 2 FTS

RAF Little Rissington (ICAO: EGVL) is an RAF aerodrome and former RAF station in Gloucestershire, England. It was once home to the Central Flying School, the Vintage Pair and the Red Arrows.

Built during the 1930s, the station was opened in 1938 and closed in 1994. The married-quarters and main technical site were sold in 1996 (the former becoming the village of Upper Rissington), but the aerodrome has been retained by the Ministry of Defence and remains active along with the southern technical sites, under the operational control of HQ No. 2 Flying Training School RAF at RAF Syerston.

It is now home to No. 637 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF as the primary military unit, who provide elementary flying training for Combined Cadet Force and Air Training Corps cadets. The airfield is also used by the forces as a relief landing ground, training area and parachute dropping area. In previous years, the Royal Air Force estate has been used as a film set, including The Avengers, part of the ice chase in Die Another Day, and the Thunderbirds film.

In March 2015 a new hangar is being built on the airfield.

During the build-up to the Second World War, the Air Ministry began constructing major airfields across the United Kingdom under what was known as the Expansion Period. RAF Little Rissington was one of these airfields.