Rayak Air Base

Rayak Air Base (Arabic: قاعدة رياق الجوية | Kaidat Rayak al-jawiya) (ICAO: OLRA) is Lebanon's first air base and the place where the Lebanese Air Force was born on June 1, 1949. In the 1950s the RAF sent its own instructors to help the Lebanese Airforce. British families accompanied instructors. The base had connections with Airforce bases on Cyprus. It was an idyllic location situated very close to a vineyard which now supplies wines throughout Europe, including London. Located in the middle of the Bekaa Valley to the east, between the towns of Zahlé and Anjar, it symbolizes the Lebanese Air Force best, and is home for most of the aircraft types that have seen service and the final resting place for almost all retiring planes.

Rayak Air Base

قاعدة رياق الجوية

Base Aérienne de Rayak
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OwnerLebanese Armed Forces
OperatorLebanese Air Force
LocationRayak, Lebanon
Elevation AMSL2,953 ft / 900 m
Coordinates33°51′08″N 35°59′25″E
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
04 3,039 9,970 Concrete (Direction: 046.0)
22 2,969 9,740 Concrete (Direction: 226.0)

The airfield has been in use since 1914 by various foreign forces such as German, Ottoman, British and French.

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