🇬🇧 RAF Benson Airport

RAF Benson (EGUB) is an active Royal Air Force station located near Wallingford, Oxfordshire, GB, approximately 9 miles southeast of Oxford.

Type of Facility and Operations: The facility primarily supports helicopter operations. It hosts military training units and is home to the National Police Air Service (NPAS) and the Thames Valley Air Ambulance (TVAA),. The TVAA, a charity funded by public donations, moved to RAF Benson in 2007 and operates 24 hours a day with a crew of a pilot, pre-hospital emergency doctor, and critical care paramedic.

RAF Benson operates under the Wittering Model, with the Airbase accountable to No. 2 Group (RAF) and the Station Commander. The Air Wing, under the Joint Aviation Command (Army), is responsible for operational and training outputs. The station provides rapid support for UK military operations globally.

Notable Features or History: RAF Benson opened on February 1, 1939, after construction began in 1937,. Initially, it housed two squadrons of Fairey Battle Bombers,. From 1939 until 1995, it was the home of the 'King's Flight' and subsequently the 'Queen's Flight', which later moved to RAF Northolt.

The station's association with helicopters began in March 1992 with No. 60 Squadron flying Wessex HC2 helicopters. This was followed by No. 33 Squadron with Puma HC1 helicopters in 1997, and later Merlin Helicopters of No. 28 (Army Cooperation) Squadron in 2001 and No. 78 Squadron in 2008, forming the "Merlin Force",. In 2014, the RAF's Merlin helicopters were transferred to the Royal Navy,. In October 2015, No. 28 (AC) Squadron reformed at Benson as the Chinook and Puma Operational Conversion Unit. In May 2020, No. 22 Squadron re-formed at RAF Benson to provide operational evaluation, trials, testing, and tactical training for all Joint Aviation Command helicopter crews.

The airfield has two runways, 01 and 19, both 1825m long with a blacktop surface,.

Current Status: RAF Benson is an active Royal Air Force station. It continues to host military helicopter units, the National Police Air Service, and the Thames Valley Air Ambulance,. The station operates 24/7 for ATZ (Air Traffic Zone) with Benson Flying Club, NPAS, and TVAA operations when ATC is closed. Prior permission (PPR) is required 48 hours in advance for military and civilian aircraft.

*Sources researched: raf.mod.uk, aidu.mod.uk, 33squadronassociation.co.uk, airfieldfinder.app*