RAF Leuchars

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RAF Leuchars
Station Crest of RAF Leuchars
IATA: ADX – ICAO: EGQL
Summary
Airport type		Military
Operator		Royal Air Force
Location		Leuchars, Fife, Scotland
Elevation AMSL		38 ft / 12 m
Coordinates		56°22′23″N, 002°52′07″W
Website		www.leuchars.raf.mod.uk
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
04/22	4,803	1,464	Asphalt
09/27	8,491	2,588	Asphalt

RAF Leuchars (IATA: ADX, ICAO: EGQL) is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.

1 Operations
2 Annual Airshow
3 References
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Operations

RAF Leuchars is commanded by an Air Commodore instead of a Group Captain who would usually be given command of a base. This is because the base commander here also undertakes the role of Air Officer Scotland. The Present base commander is Air Commodore Clive Bairsto who takes over from Air Commodore Julian Stinton.

Leuchars is currently home to three squadrons of Panavia Tornado F3s. They are No. 111 Squadron, No. 43 Squadron & No. 56 (Reserve) Squadron. Nos. 43 and 111 Squadrons are operational units, each with a strength of 16 aircraft. No. 56 Squadron is an Operational Conversion Unit, which trains aircrew on how to use the F3. The two operational squadrons operate Quick Reaction Alert which was set up primarily to combat threats from Russian attacks during the Cold War. The station is also home to No. 125 Expeditionary Air Wing and the East of Scotland Universities' Air Squadron (ESUAS) and XXII Air Experience Flight (12 AEF) who both use a fleet of seven Tutor T1s.

Leuchars is also the base for No. 612 (County of Aberdeen) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force (an air-transportable surgical squadron), an RAF Mountain Rescue Unit, and is the airfield of use for the local Air Training Corps units.

The other RAF air defence base's are RAF Coningsby and RAF Leeming.

No 125 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) was formed at Leuchars on 1 April 2006. The wing encompasses most of the non-formed unit personnel and does not include the flying units based at the station. The station commander is dual-hatted as the commander of the wing.

In 2007, an extension of the runway which, as of 2006, is currently 3,500 metres (11,000 feet) long, will take place due to the arrival of the Typhoon. Because of the runway extension, the three main squadrons are to be re-sited for the duration of the work. 43(F) SQN will operate from RAF Leeming and RAF Akrotiri over this period. ESUAS and 12 AEF will operate from Glenrothes airfield.

[edit] Annual Airshow

Cover of 2006 official programme

RAF Leuchars is home to the annual Leuchars Airshow. This usually takes place on a Saturday in September. The 2007 Leuchars Airshow has been cancelled due to extension of the runway.

Approximately 45,000 people attended the 2006 show to see displays including the Red Arrows, Eurofighter Typoon, and Battle of Britain memorial flight. Air forces from many NATO countries provide additional static and flight displays.^[1]