Redhill Aerodrome Redhill Aerodrome is an operational general aviation aerodrome located southeast of Redhill , Surrey , England , in green belt land . Redhill Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence ( Number P421 ) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee ( Redhill Aerodrome Limited ) . Early history . The airfield came into use in the 1930s for private flying and it was used as an alternative airfield to Croydon Airport by Imperial Airways . An Elementary Flying Training School was formed at Redhill in July 1937 . Training continued at the start of the Second World War using the Miles Magister . The Fairey Battle was also flown particularly for use with the Polish Grading and Testing Flight . With the threat of a German attack on the airfield the Flying Training School moved to northern England in June 1940 . RAF Redhill . With the withdrawal of the Flying Training School the airfield became an operational RAF station . First to move in were 16 Squadron operating the Westland Lysander . The Lysanders did not stay long and RAF Redhill had many short - term deployments of mainly fighter squadrons . In August 1942 the airfield had five squadrons based . By the end of 1943 the fighter squadrons had moved on and the airfield was used by support units until the end of the war . Postwar . The airfield returned to civilian use in 1947 but was suspended in 1954 . In 1959 flying resumed at Redhill when the Tiger Club moved in . The following year Bristow Helicopters started to use Redhill as an operating base and carry out helicopter maintenance for the next 40 years . The airfield is still operated for private flying and training , with an emphasis on helicopter operators . Pilots can use three grass runways . Information on the aerodrome ' s state can be found on the operator ' s , Redhill Aerodrome Limited , website . Charter and private arrivals and departures can be tracked on the Aerodrome Information website . The aerodrome has its own Air Traffic Control and fire and rescue services ( Redhill Fire Fighting Service ) . The fire and rescue service is H2 / Cat2 and has two fire appliances built by Land Rover ( now Jaguar Land Rover ) that carry over 1400 litres of fire fighting fluids between them as well as rescue equipment . The fire crews also operate the bowsers used to refuel aircraft . The airfield has also been the venue for the flying displays and aviation trade shows , including the annual Redhill Airshow in the past , which was focused around a charitable cause . On 17 May 2012 it was announced that the owners of Redhill Aerodrome had again submitted a planning application for a hard runway after the previous plan had been rejected in 2011 . Opponents at the time , including local MP Sam Gyimah , argued that the runway would " create an unacceptable level of noise and pollution and destroy the landscape " . In June 2013 the second application was also refused . Redhill Airshow . The Redhill Airshow was a " garden party " style event held at Redhill Aerodrome until 2006 . The show was one of the highlights of the local area ' s calendar . The show has seen flypast s by the Red Arrows and displays from the Royal Air Force solo display teams , the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight including the Lancaster Bomber as well as popular warbird s such as Spitfire MH434 , and Rob Davies ' P - 51 Mustang .