{{Short description|Airport in Herefordshire, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}} {{EngvarB|date=November 2015}} {{Infobox airport | name = Shobdon Airfield | nativename = | nativename-a = | nativename-r = | image = | image-width = | caption = | IATA = | ICAO = EGBS | type = Private | owner = | operator = Herefordshire Aero Club Ltd | location = Shobdon | elevation-f = 317 | elevation-m = 97 | coordinates = {{coord|52|14|30|N|002|52|52|W|type:airport_region:GB|display=inline,title}} | pushpin_map = Herefordshire | pushpin_label = EGBS | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Herefordshire | website = | metric-rwy = Y | r1-number = 08/26 | r1-length-m = 836 | r1-surface = Tarmac | r2-number = 08/26<br><small>Unlicensed</small> | r2-length-m = 940 | r2-surface = Grass | r3-number = 08/26<br><small>Unlicensed</small> | r3-length-m = 308 | r3-surface = Grass | stat-year = | stat1-header = | stat1-data = | stat2-header = | stat2-data = | footnotes = Sources: UK AIP at NATS<ref name="aip">[http://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/public/index.php%3Foption=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=133&Itemid=182.html Shobdon – EGBS]</ref> }} '''Shobdon Airfield''' {{Airport codes||EGBS}} is an airport {{Convert|6|NM|abbr=on|lk=in}} south of Shobdon village, and west of Leominster,<ref name="aip"/> Herefordshire, England.
==RAF Shobdon== 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.{{CN|date=March 2025}}
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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shobdonvillage.co.uk/page/about_shobdon/|title=About Shobdon|publisher=shobdonvillageco.uk|accessdate=8 January 2010}}</ref>
In 1943, RAF No. 1 Glider Training School moved from RAF Thame to Shobdon,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.controltowers.co.uk/T-V/Thame.htm|title=RAF Thame|publisher=controltowers.co.uk|accessdate=8 January 2010}}</ref> enabling an increase in training of glider pilots in preparation for Normandy and Arnhem landings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visitherefordshire.co.uk/thedms.asp?dms=13&venue=1420661|title=Shobdon|publisher=visitherefordshire.co.uk|accessdate=8 January 2010}}</ref>
The RAF Gliding School closed in 1953, when the site was handed to Herefordshire County Council.
==Today== thumb|Shobdon Airfield thumb|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).<ref>[http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/375/srg_asd_ordinarylicences.pdf Civil Aviation Authority Aerodrome Ordinary Licences]</ref>
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==
===Citations=== {{reflist}}
===Bibliography=== {{refbegin}} * Brooks, Robin J. ''Herefordshire and Worcestershire Airfields in the Second World War''. {{ISBN|1-85306-984-1}} * Pfuell, Ivor. ''A History of Shobdon''. Published by Ivor Pfuell, 1994. {{ISBN|0-9524790-0-1}}. * United Kingdom AIP {{refend}} * Tony Hobbs "Flying For Fun in the Southern Marches" {{ISBN|9781904396796}} Published by: Longaston Press.
==External links== {{Commons category|Shobdon Airfield}}
{{Royal Air Force}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Airports in England Category:Airports in the West Midlands (region) Category:Gliderports in the United Kingdom Category:Transport in Herefordshire