# Sleap Airfield > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sleap_Airfield > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sleap_Airfield.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleap_Airfield > Source revision: 1342721260 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Airfield in Shropshire, England Sleap Airfield A view of the airfield from the north IATA: none ICAO: EGCV Summary Airport type Private Operator Shropshire Aero Club Ltd Location Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England Elevation AMSL 275 ft / 84 m Coordinates 52°50′05″N 002°46′13″W / 52.83472°N 2.77028°W / 52.83472; -2.77028 Website http://www.shropshireaeroclub.co.uk Map EGCV Location in Shropshire Runways Direction Length Surface m ft 05/23 799 2,621 Asphalt 18/36 775 2,543 Asphalt Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1] **Sleap Airfield** (pronounced "Slape") ([IATA](/source/IATA_airport_code): **n/a**, [ICAO](/source/ICAO_airport_code): **EGCV**) is located 10 [NM](/source/Nautical_mile) (19 km; 12 mi) north of [Shrewsbury](/source/Shrewsbury),[1] Shropshire, England. Sleap Aerodrome has a [CAA](/source/United_Kingdom_Civil_Aviation_Authority) Ordinary Licence (Number P641) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Shropshire Aero Club Limited).[2] It is now home to Shropshire Aero Club, a flying club with over 800 members, 140 based aircraft and holds regular public & member events and [airshows](/source/Air_show). It is one of the busiest [general aviation](/source/General_aviation) airfields in the UK as of 2026. Shropshire Aero Club offers training for Private & Commercial pilots, including the [Private Pilot's Licence.](/source/Private_pilot_licence) It has over 150 students learning to fly a year, with a fleet of 12 aircraft. [CPL](/source/Commercial_pilot_licence), [IR](/source/Instrument_rating), MEP, Night & [Tailwheel](/source/Conventional_landing_gear) ratings are also taught. The airfield has 2 tarmac runways still in use, 18/36 and 23/05 (which is fully lit for night operations) both nearly 800m long. The airfield has [Avgas 100LL](/source/Avgas) and [Jet-A1](/source/Jet_fuel) F34 on site and is open every day of the year. The airfield is used regularly by the [MOD](/source/Ministry_of_Defence_(United_Kingdom)) helicopters and also has a Long Term Permission from the CAA to allow practice display flights. It has permission from [Border Force](/source/Border_Force) to allow international flights. Sleap Airfield is also home to SleapKosh, the biggest fly-in airshow in the UK (as of 2025). ## RAF Sleap Sleap (pronounced "Slape") is an ex-[Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) airfield, which was opened in April 1943, and used by RAF advanced flying training units. Initially it was the base for [No. 81 Operational Training Unit RAF](/source/No._81_OTU) (81 OTU) within [No. 93 Group RAF](/source/No._93_Group_RAF) (93 Gp) of [RAF Bomber Command](/source/RAF_Bomber_Command) equipped with [Armstrong Whitworth Whitley](/source/Armstrong_Whitworth_Whitley) bomber aircraft. From 1 January 1944 Sleap was assigned to [No.38 Group RAF](/source/No.38_Group_RAF) (38 Gp). 81 OTU's [Armstrong-Whitworth Whitleys](/source/Armstrong-Whitworth_Whitley) towed [Airspeed Horsa](/source/Airspeed_Horsa) heavy troop-carrying gliders on training missions; the Horsas making practice formation landings at RAF Sleap to simulate attacks in enemy territory. [Vickers Wellingtons](/source/Vickers_Wellington) replaced the Whitleys from November 1944 and by January 1945 the strength was 51 Wellington T.Xs, used to train [Transport Command](/source/Transport_Command) air-crew with [Vampires](/source/De_Havilland_Vampire) and other early jets being early visitors. The RAF finally released Sleap in 1964, but the location is still used as a relief airfield by nearby [RAF Shawbury](/source/RAF_Shawbury) for [Juno](/source/Eurocopter_EC135) and [Jupiter](/source/Eurocopter_EC145) aircraft from the [DHFS](/source/Defence_Helicopter_Flying_School_(United_Kingdom)) as part of the [UKMFTS](/source/UK_Military_Flying_Training_System). The following units were also here at some point:[3] - [No. 1380 (Transport Support) Conversion Unit RAF](/source/No._1380_(Transport_Support)_Conversion_Unit_RAF) - [No. 1665 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF](/source/No._1665_Heavy_Conversion_Unit_RAF) - [Central Navigation and Control School RAF](/source/Central_Navigation_and_Control_School_RAF) - [Empire Air Navigation School RAF](/source/Empire_Air_Navigation_School_RAF) The Shropshire Aero Club members' bar (also a cafe open to the public) at Sleap was named Eric Lock Lounge after [Bayston Hill](/source/Bayston_Hill) born [Flight Lieutenant](/source/Flight_Lieutenant) [Eric Lock](/source/Eric_Lock) the [World War II](/source/World_War_II) [Battle of Britain](/source/Battle_of_Britain) pilot who was the highest scoring British-born pilot with sixteen and a half victories during the epic battle.[4] Through the co-operation of the Shropshire Aero Club, the RAF Sleap Heritage Museum operates a small museum on the site, which itself is steeped in history. This all-volunteer group runs the museum from donations only, and is currently open Saturday and Sunday. The displays include a number of aero engines, and a reconstruction of an airfield Flight Office.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-aip_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-aip_1-1) [Sleap - EGCV](http://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/public/index.php%3Foption=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=135&Itemid=184.html) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Civil Aviation Authority Aerodrome Ordinary Licences](http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/375/srg_asd_ordinarylicences.pdf) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-ABCT_3-0)** ["Sleap"](https://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/sleap/). [Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust](/source/Airfields_of_Britain_Conservation_Trust). Retrieved 6 September 2023. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Francis, Peter (2013). *Shropshire War Memorials, Sites of Remembrance*. YouCaxton Publications. pp. 38, 164. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-909644-11-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-909644-11-3). ## External links - [Shropshire Aero Club](https://www.flysac.co.uk/) - [Exploring RAF Sleap](http://www.urbanassault.t83.net/#/rafsleap/4525168017/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080623093213/http://www.urbanassault.t83.net/#/rafsleap/4525168017/) 23 June 2008 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) - [Sleap by helicopter](http://adm.helipaddy.com/pad/view/690/de6418a801d24316d2c2438a0f90d076/) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sleap Airfield](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleap_Airfield) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleap_Airfield?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.