Airports / United Kingdom / FFD
RAF Fairford.
Fairford, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom · 286 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.6/5
Google rating
174 ratings
0
Operators based
286
Elevation ft
Google rating
Google reviews
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
#14 / 80
United Kingdom airports by Google rating
4.6★ across 174 Google ratings , ranked against 80 rated United Kingdom fields.
9 nm
To the nearest alternate
RAF Brize Norton (BZZ), 6 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
RAF Fairford, listed as EGVA / FFD, is a mid-sized airport in Fairford, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. The airport sits 286 feet above sea level. With no scheduled airline service, it caters to private, charter, and general aviation traffic.
No charter operator is headquartered on the field, but operators routinely position aircraft into FFD for departures. When weather or ramp space demands it, nearby options are RAF Brize Norton (BZZ, 9 nm), Gloucestershire Airport (GLO, 19 nm), and London Oxford Airport (OXF, 20 nm). With a single 9,994-foot paved runway, FFD can typically accommodate aircraft as large as VIP airliners.
Charter pricing from FFD depends on aircraft category, positioning distance, and trip timing. Compare rated operators or run a route through the cost estimator to gauge pricing from Fairford, Gloucestershire.
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Field capability
ICAO
EGVA
IATA
FFD
FAA / Local
EGVA
Elevation
286 ft
Coordinates
51.6836° N · 1.7892° W
Airspace
G · GolfClass G, GolfUncontrolled field, no tower. Pilots self-announce and sequence themselves on the common traffic advisory frequency.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Medium
Scheduled svc
No
Elevation vs United Kingdom fields
state range 5–1,066 ft
At 286 ft, FFD sits higher than 80% of the 88 United Kingdom fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 9,994 ft
- 09/279,994 ft × 200 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 9,994 ft
FFD's 9,994 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation. Confirm performance with the operator.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 9nmBZZRAF Brize NortonCarterton, Oxfordshire
- 19nmGLOGloucestershire AirportStaverton, Gloucestershire
- 20nmOXFLondon Oxford AirportKidlington, Oxfordshire
- 26nmBEXRAF BensonWallingford, Oxfordshire
- 32nmEGDMMoD Boscombe DownSalisbury, Wiltshire
- 39nmBRSBristol AirportBristol
Location
Open the full mapEGVA · RAF Fairford · Fairford, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from FFD on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Boston (BED) | 2,784 nm | 6h 52m |
| New York (TEB) | 2,942 nm | 7h 15m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 3,136 nm | 7h 42m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 3,375 nm | 8h 15m |
| Nashville (BNA) | 3,574 nm | 8h 43m |
| Palm Beach (PBI) | 3,741 nm | 9h 6m |
| Miami (MIA) | 3,788 nm | 9h 13m |
| Anchorage (ANC) | 3,862 nm | 9h 23m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use FFD?
- RAF Fairford's longest paved runway is 9,994 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at FFD?
- RAF Fairford has one runway; the longest measures 9,994 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- What is the nearest major airport to FFD?
- The closest alternate is RAF Brize Norton (BZZ), about 9 nm away, followed by Gloucestershire Airport (GLO) at 19 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from FFD to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Boston about 6h 52m (2,784 nm), New York about 7h 15m (2,942 nm), Washington DC about 7h 42m (3,136 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.