Moi Air Base
Moi Air Base | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastleigh, Nairobi in Kenya | |||||||
  Moi Air Base Shown within Kenya | |||||||
| Coordinates | 1°16′37.9″S 036°51′44.3″E / 1.277194°S 36.862306°ECoordinates: 1°16′37.9″S 036°51′44.3″E / 1.277194°S 36.862306°E | ||||||
| Type | Air Base | ||||||
| Site information | |||||||
| Owner | Kenya Defence Forces | ||||||
| Operator | Kenya Air Force | ||||||
| Site history | |||||||
| Built | 1936 | ||||||
| In use | 1936-present | ||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||
| Identifiers | ICAO: HKRE | ||||||
| Elevation | 1,632 metres (5,354 ft) AMSL | ||||||
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Moi Air Base, formerly known as RAF Eastleigh and Eastleigh Airport (ICAO: HKRE) is a military airport located to the east of Nairobi, in the Eastleigh suburb. The airport is used by the Kenya Air Force. Additionally, the airfield is the home of the East African School of Aviation run by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, which was established at the airport in 1954 as the DCA training school. The airport is also used to train Kenyan Air Cadets.
Due to its military status, the airport is not shown in any official map of Nairobi. Instead, the area is left blank. This does not affect Google Earth, though.
History
Royal Air Force use
RAF Eastleigh was a Royal Air Force airfield in Kenya, in the Eastleigh suburb of Nairobi. The name "RAF Eastleigh" was also used during 1935 for the airfield in England that became RAF Southampton in 1936.
Eastleigh was the primary RAF station for East Africa, and home to Air Headquarters East Africa after force reductions in the 1950s. However, because of its high elevation and short runways (which could not be extended because of its location close to the city), from the arrival of No. 208 Squadron RAF in the late 1950s with its Hawker Hunters, jet fighters and bombers had to operate out of nearby Embakasi Airport. Eastleigh also operated as a civilian airport with airlines such as BOAC, EAA, etc operating flights until the opening of Embakasi Airport (now Jomo Kenyatta International) nearby in 1958.
It was the location for No. 1414 (Meteorological) Flight RAF equipped with Gloster Gladiator, Boulton Paul Defiant, Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire, Percival Proctor and No. 1569 (Meteorological) Flight RAF equipped with Hurricanes. After the war both No. 21 Squadron RAF, No. 30 Squadron RAF, and a Communications Flight operated from the base.
Kenya Air Force use
Its used by the Kenya defense forces.
References
External links
- Photographs of Eastleigh and other Nairobi airports from 50 years ago
- Accident history for HKRE at Aviation Safety Network - Eastleigh Airport
