RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron)

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RNAS Yeovilton
IATA: YEO – ICAO: EGDY
Summary
Airport type		Military
Operator		Royal Navy
Location		Yeovil
Elevation AMSL		75 ft / 23 m
Coordinates		51°00′34″N 002°38′20″W / 51.00944, -2.63889
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
04/22	4,797	1,462	Concrete
09/27	7,580	2,310	Concrete

Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, or RNAS Yeovilton, (IATA: YEO, ICAO: EGDY) (HMS Heron) is an airfield of the Royal Navy, sited in South West England a few miles north of Yeovil in Somerset. It is one of two active Fleet Air Arm bases and is currently home to the Royal Navy's Lynx helicopters and the Royal Marines Commando Westland Sea Kings.

The site consists of 1,000 acres (1.562 sq mi/4.047 km²) of airfield sites plus ranges and minor estates. Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton is a large multi-role air station with an annual budget of some £61 million. The facility also serves as home to the Fleet Air Arm Museum.

1 History
2 Current operations
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

[edit] History

Work began in 1939 on the construction of the site, with the runways being completed in 1941. The Naval Observer School moved to HMS Heron in mid 1940, with the Naval Air Fighter School soon following. Several units which were preparing for embarkation were also stationed at the site during World War II. The runways were further extended in 1952 and 1957 to cope with jet aircraft. In May 1953 it became the headquarters of Flag Officer Flying Training.^[1]

During the 1960s further development work was undertaken, with the School of Fighter Direction returning to the site and the Sea Venoms being replaced by the Phantom FG.1 as a carrier-borne fighter. The 1970s saw the Flag Officer, Naval Air Command (FONAC), transferring from RNAS Lee-on-Solent (then known as HMS Daedalus). Royal Navy fixed wing operations were phased out, and the Phantoms transferred to the RAF. The base remained as the home of the Commando Helicopter Squadrons, using Sea King HC.4 and the Wessex HU.5, and the fixed wing Fleet Requirements and Aircraft Direction Unit (FRADU) and became the main shore base for the Navy's fleet of Sea Harrier FRS.1 (and later, FA.2s). A ski-jump was installed to enable practice of ski-jump assisted take-offs.^[1]

In July 2006 Sea King HC.4 helicopters from RNAS Yeovilton were deployed to Cyprus to assist with the evacuation of British citizens from Lebanon.^[2] Following the closure of RNAS Portland (HMS Osprey) in 1999, HMS Heron became the main shore base for the Lynx fleet, again.^[1]

[edit] Current operations

It is home to Royal Navy (RN) Lynx Helicopters and RN Commando Helicopter Force and until April 2006 BAE Sea Harrier FA2s. RNAS Yeovilton operates over 100 aircraft in four different categories and is manned by around 1675 service and 2000 civilian personnel including MoD employees and permanent contractors. Training of aircrew and engineers of resident aircraft types is also carried out at Yeovilton. It is also the location for the RN Fighter Controller School, training surface based aircraft controllers.

During periods of busy flying training, pressure on the Yeovilton circuit is relieved by the use of RNAS Merryfield, nearby.

FA2 Sea Harriers are no longer present, 800, 801 and 899 (training) squadrons have disbanded and now operating RAF GR7/GR9 aircraft until the replacement F-35B Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft enters service in 2012.