Royal Air Force Station.  Linton Upon Ouse

                                                                Location: 8 miles north west of York City centre, off the A19

Coordinates 54°02′56″N, 001°15′10″W  
Runways Direction,     Length,    ft m         

            04/22 6,020 1,835  .     10/28, 4,394,1,339 

Frequencies: 

Director ------ 275.850
Tower --------  240.825
DATIS -------  283.725 (Recorded info)
PAR ----------- 375.575
PAR ----------- 369.025
Approach ----- 372.125
Departures --  281.825
Ground -------  278.325 
Zone ---------   235.200

Air to Air ----- 244.500
Air to Air ----- 378.050
Air to Air ----- 379.700
Air to Air ----- 396.850
Instruct.------- 362.075

Websites of interest to Linton on Ouse.

Weather. Link   RAF web page Linton On Ouse.  Link 

Linton upon Ouse is home to 72 and 207 squadrons who are part of No 1 Flying Training School who fly the Tucano which are responsible for training the future fast jet pilots of the Royal Air Force and on occasion pilots from the comenwealth countries. Linton is probably one of the busiest airfields in the country and it is not unusual to find the airfield open at 0730, although typically 0800-1700 is the normal airfield opening hours. The airfield is usually open at the weekend from 0900 when the Air Training Corps use the field for their Glider Schools. Linton often attracts a wide variety of visitors, either stopping for fuel or attending courses, or using the field and airfield controllers for practise landings and overshoots. Linton does on occasion make itself available as host for deployments, in recent years Harriers and Puma Helicopters have both been regular guests. If there is a big event at the nearby York race course, it is not uncommon for Linton to turn into a civilian airport for the duration.

Local Amenities: Shops. There is a Post Office including a small store in the village, at the junction of the main street and the main entrance to the base. Cash points, All Post Offices are now able to be used for withdrawals of cash via their horizon computer system. There is also a public house( college arms) in the village.

Linton does have one special trick up its sleeve. Around 5 or 6 times per year it holds a ceremony to mark the completion of this stage in the pilots career before he heads off to RAF Valley were he swaps his Tucano for the basic jet trainer the Hawk. These graduations can be quite lively affairs where other squadrons within the RAF send aircraft for a fly past or possibly an airfield attack. At certain times of the year you may even have the RAF's display pilots do practise air displays, even on the odd occasion the Red Arrows have been known to attend.

                                                                                        The maps below are not to scale 

The guide assumes that you will make your way to the Village of Linton on Ouse. Once here, travel from the A19 side, through the village, past the school until you reach the Post Office. If your aim is to get on the base turn immediate right after the Post Office and the Guard room is 100 yrds up the road. If you are intending going to point 1of the guide, you need to ignore the sign for the base and continue along the road past the pub and out of the village. After about 3/4 of mile you will see a clearing on your right with a white fence and gates, park up in the marked out bays and avoid blocking the gate at all times. From here you can see most of the comings and goings of the airfield. If the runway caravan is parked at the runway 500yrd in front of you, the aircraft will land over the road to your left near points 2 and 3,the aircraft going out on sorties will often taxi past you and a lens choice of around 200mm is ample. If you can use a lens of 400mm you should be able to get the classic cliche shot of an aircraft with the White horse of Yorkshire in the background, as the big lens will make the horse a lot larger than it appears. Caution must be taken at all times at these positions near the road, at first glimpse it may look like a quite country road, in fact this is a very busy cut through road and is a 60 mph zone . Avoid reversing from your parking position onto the road if at all possible. It may be best to get help from some other enthusiast to watch the road for oncoming traffic.

                                                                            The most popular position at this end is the crash gate between points 1 and 2

Point 2, is located at the very end of the runway, there is no footpath so care should be taken at all times. At certain points along the fence line at the threshold you are actually below the surface of the runway. From point 2 you are able to look straight down the runway itself and the fence at only 4 ft high affords a good lens holder. The most popular postition is 50 yrds down the road towards point 2 from the car park at the crash gate, from here you are very close to aircraft that taxi to the very end of the runway, so a short zoom is ideal for this location. At all locations along this road the sun should not be a problem if you are looking in the direction of the base.

                                                 A Tornado F3 from 56 Sqn touches down at the 04  end, point 2. 

Point 3 is reached by continuing along the road past the runway until you reach a track on the right side. Walk down the track which is around 100 yrds long until you reach the gate. From here you can shoot aircraft with the tower and aircraft on the ramp as a backdrop. Just back track along the track for about 10 yrds and there is a rather large hole in the hedge, this offers a good view of aircraft about to touch down. he sun can be a problem here as you will be looking into it.

                                                             The Red Arrows taking off, point 2.   

                                                        Again taken from point 2, This F3 was a visitor at a graduation.

                                                                                                 A nimrod  making a slow flypast.

                                       A sight never to be repeated, Royal Navy Sea Harriers were frequent visitors at graduations.

                                                                                                                                   The crash gate at point 4.

Point 4 can be accessed from the village of Youlton. As you leave Youlton on the Aldwark road you take the first left down the tarmac track and park up on the grass verge as not to block the emergency exit. From here you can get a decent view of aircraft landing at this end in the winter because the trees have finished shedding their leaves, summer times can be a tad tricky, the only other factor here is on sunny days you will be looking straight into the sun. At the side of the crash gate there is an obvious break in the farmers fencing, some people have been known to hop over and walk down the edge of the field where you can obtain a clearer view of the proceedings. Please ask the farmer before you enter his land.

Point 5 is best taken from the Village at Youlton. Walk down the path at Youlton hall and follow the public path through the small wooded area and at some point you will be under the approach were head on shots can be had. For side on shots you are better keeping on the track until the aircraft are down your side as the approach the runway. This position can also be accessed by parking at the School in Linton village and walking up the track to join the path for points 5 and 6 in the reverse order.

                                                                  Enthusiasts panning with a Tucano on Approach near to point 2

                                                                          100 sqn Hawk deployment to Linton.

                                                                               20 sqn deployment to Linton

                                                               A Spitfire and the White Horse at  recent Graduation, point 1