The first flight followed in 1915, when Flight Sub Lieutenant A.W. Robinson took off in a Bleriot aircraft in an (unsuccessful) attempt to intercept a German Army Zeppelin. The RNAS camp area was set up in the south-west corner, near to the church, where a copse of trees existed. After the last RNAS action from there on 26th April 1916, all personnel and stores went to Detling Air Station in Kent and on 4th June it became once again RFC Rochford, and with the classification of a Flight Station (night), it accomodated B.E.2 and B.E.12 aircraft from 'A' Flight of 37 Squadron.

A building programme had started in June 1916, with a planned completion date of 30th November, 1918, and the site boundaries were squared off to encompass and area of 168 acres. However, six months on, and the ground staff still occupied billets in Rochford, and aircrews remained at the Westcliffe Hotel because even the on-site accomodation for them was still not completed. The major problem with that, of course, was that in the event of an alert, the duty crews would have to be driven from the hotel in Southend to the aerodrome before anything else. Several squadrons used the airfield for varying durations until the formation of 61 Squadron at Rochford in 1917.

61 Squadron stayed at Rochford until 1919 when the recently formed RAF derequisitioned the airfield and civil aviation and pleasure flying began at the aerodrome. Aviation lessened and eventually the station was closed in 1920 and returned to farmland. The whole of the southern technical site area was later developed for housing with roads having names such as Avro and Bristol being laid down to commemorate the aircraft types during the war.

Early in 1933, Southend Corporation bought the aerodrome for a flying ground, and two years later it became a municipal aerodrome. The Southend Flying Club, Crilly Airways, and Southend on Sea Flying Services Ltd were already in residence, along with the RAFVR.

During August 1939, the Air ministry requisitioned all such commercial airfields, and Rochford was closed as a civil aerodrome on 1st September. The airfield was to become known as RAF Rochford and placed in No 11 Group of Fighter Command as a satellite field to RAF Hornchurch.

The first squadron to arrive was 54 squadron with its Spitfires, followed by No 600 City of London squadron with their Blenheim 1F's. Another squadron who was to frequently use RAF Rochford was 74 squadron who left on 27th May. Once well rested 74 returned to Rochford and 616 squadron moved up north to their home at Leconfield in Yorkshire.

During the Battle of Britain and particular August and September 1940 various squadrons from both Hornchurch and North Weald used Rochford as an advance base. The first Hurricanes appeared at Rochford in August when 56 Squadron used the airfield. The Spitfires of 41 squadron were the most frequent visitors to Rochford during most of September. On October 26th 1940, Rochford became a station in its own right and was known as RAF Southend, although the fighter control remained with Hornchurch. The squadron based at Rochford at the time was 264 which was equipped with Boulton Paul Diefiants. This two seat fighter had only come into service in December 1939.

On 18th June 1940, Rochford entered the History Record books when Flt. Lt. 'Sailor' Malan, of 74 Sqn became the first single seat pilot to shoot down an enemy aircraft at night. A week later, he became the first pilot to down two aircraft in one night.
On Monday, 26th August, 1940, a Dornier DO 17z bomber from 2/KG2, was damaged and forced to belly land at Rochford. All of the crew had been injured, including the Officer Pilot, who had been shot in the backside. After interrogation, one of the crew, a German Major, was discovered to have been the bombing leader of the formation whose target was Hornchurch.
Another DO 17 was brought down on 2nd September. It was later unintentionally set on fire when a signal flare was ingnited by an onlooker.

As fighter command moved forward to a more offensive role in early 1941, Southend became the forward base for a number of Spitfire squadrons. For the six months or so 54 and 74 along with two auxiliary squadrons (611 and 603) used the airfield at various times, from August to November 1941 402 (Canadian) squadron used the airfield; they were equipped with Hurricanes IIs.

On 1st May 1941, the airfield was transferred to North Weald Sector, and became a forward offensive fighter base. On 11th May, a raid by ME 109s on the airfield met with a ground defence and the base fighters downed enemy plane one each, and they crashed onto the field beside the hangars.

On 26th Oct 1942, the Luftwaffe raided Southend, during which 100 houses were damaged. Swift work by No. 2820 LAA Squadron RAF Regiment, bagged a DO217E, but unfortunately it crashed on 350 Squadron dispersal, killing a Belgian Warrant Officer and injuring two airmen.

9th Feb 1943: In bad weather, a lone Dornier 217 sneaked in right under patrolling Spitfires over Southend and shot up the airfield and escaped! At the beginning of June 1943 the airfield was transferred back into the Hornchurch sector and remained there until the operations room was closed down in February 1944.

By March 1943, the war had passed it by and in 1944 it became part of the V1 balloon barrage network.

R.A.F. Rochford (Southend) was de-requisitioned and a licence was issued to Southend Corporation on 31st December 1946. In 1948, Customs facilities were set up to cover the new services to Ostend and the Channel Islands by East Anglian with the enlarged fleet of D H Rapides and Miles Aerovan G-AJK. East Anglian commenced scheduled flights to Ostend. Until 1952 was a depressed period with little activity other than light aircraft and Club flying.

B.K.S formed in 1952 and they operated aircraft mainly on cargo services, such as Ansons, DC3s, Vikings, Ambassadors and Britannia 100 series. Eventually became N.E. Airlines, a subsidiary of B.E.A and subsequently absorbed completely into B.E.A.

The National Air Race was held at Southend. Ads Aerial, Executive Flying Services and Marmol Aviation were established at Southend by Mr L C Marmol.
In 1954, the Association of Atel started the Channel Air Bridge, with Bristol Freighter MK31 and MK32, flying people, cars and freight to Calais.

In the mid-1950’s, two runways were laid, the 06/24 Main Runway and 15/33 Secondary Runway, and this led to a new level of commercial flying at the Airport for both passenger and cargo operations. Viking, Viscount, DC3 and Carvair aircraft all featured heavily. Atel purchased all the 252 Percival Prentice trainers from the R.A.F at the end of their service life. Design work and construction started on the ATL-90 Accountant. East Anglian started a link to Rotterdam and Easter 1955 saw the start of regular scheduled flights to Calais, followed by Ostend, Rotterdam, Guernsey and Paris.

In 1972, Channel Airways ceased to operate the company was liquidated. In February, the demise of Channel Airways saw the loss of one of Britain's pioneering airlines and a drop in revenue for the Airport. The lucrative routes to the Channel Islands were immediately assured by British Midland Airways.

By the mid-1970’s traffic at the Airport was in decline, however BAF and, later, Air UK continued to run scheduled services to a variety of European destinations and the Channel Islands. Holiday companies and their related airlines also used the Airport on a regular basis. Engineering and maintenance operations become an increasing part of the Airport’s business. Over the period commercial jets such as the 737, 727 and, by the early 1990’s, the BAe 146, take over from turbo-prop stalwarts like the Viscount and Herald.

In April 1979, the last Carvair freighter (G-AOFW - 'Big John') was retired from service. TAC/Heavylift, which later became Heavylift Cargo Airlines, moved into the former Atel hangar.

In the 1980s, BAF acquired British Airways entire fleet of Viscount aircraft. With up to 18 Viscounts, BAF became the world's largest operator. Routair Flying Services were established. BAF expanded fully in the field of aircraft leasing. BAF Heralds operate in Algeria, Egypt, France, Libya and the Sudan. British Island Airways amalgamated with Air Anglia to form Air UK, who continue to operate the scheduled services. Jersey European Airways started flying mail for the GPO with DHC6 Twin Otter aircraft to Liverpool. Horizon Holidays operated Inclusive Tour flights to Palma and Gerona with Monarch Airlines' Boeing 737s. Cosmos Holidays operated Inclusive Tour flights to Palma and Gerona with Monarch Airlines Boeing 737s. The Skylane Flight Centre is established to provide professional pilot training at all levels. Burstin Travel entered the UK Inclusive Tour market with a modest programme of flights to Malta. Routair Flying Services were now firmly established as one of the UK's largest air taxi/charter companies with a fleet of seven aircraft. Heavylift Cargo Airlines set up a new company, Heavylift Engineering, to perform contract maintenance at Southend. Burstin Holidays flights to Faro are a complete sell out in the first year of operation. Boeing 727 airliners operated for the first time from Southend on the established weekly Burstin flights to Faro. National Airways moved from Luton to Southend, flying to ten destinations for various companies, including DHL Courier.

On 1st March, 1985, the operation of Southend Airport passed from Southend Borough Council to British Airports International (BAI), a company jointly owned by the British Airports Authority and International Aeradio Ltd. Routair Flying Services changed their name to Expressflight and specialised still further in the parcels/courier business. The installation of PAPI approach light systems formed part of a number of technical improvements. In the first year of operation, Maersk Air carried nearly 16,000 passengers on the Billund route. With a steady yearly improvement, freight figures have reached the highest for 12 years.

December 1987 saw aviation history come to visit Southend, with the arrival of a Vulcan Bomber. The aircraft was at Southend for vital engineering work but costs prohibited the work to be carried out. The Vulcan is parked on the Airport to this day and the bodywork has now been carefully restored by the Vulcan Restoration Trust. By 1988, Southend Airport was rated the fourth busiest in the UK in terms of aircraft movements.

In June, 1989, the 'Sally B' and two other B-17 aircraft flew into Southend and stayed in order to be resprayed for their appearance in the film Memphis Belle directed by David Putnam. BAF were saved from Administration and joined forces with Baltic (UK) Airlines, who operated charter and cargo services with Vickers Viscount aircraft. This amalgamation signified that the new company owned 17 Vickers Viscount aircraft, forming the largest fleet in the UK.

The 1990s saw 1990, Heavylift begin a £1 million refurbishment of their hangar. Southend Airport ordered its new Instrument Landing System (ILS) for installation in April 1992 and Refurbishair opened their new facility.

At the beginning of 1994, Southend Borough Council were proposing to either privatise the Airport or to close it down, the latter of which would have had a detrimental effect on Southend and indeed, this part of Essex. However, in March, SBC sold the Airport to its present owners as a subsidiary of Regional Airports Ltd and traded under the new name of London Southend Airport Company Ltd in order to highlight its importance and accessibility to London and the City.

At the beginning of 1995, RAL completely refurbished the Airport's Terminal building, resurfaced the runway, demolished many of the old decrepit buildings and redecorated many others. The Airport was transformed within one year of being purchased by RAL and on 26th May 1995, the Official Terminal Reopening took place.

In 1998, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott gives the go-ahead for London Southend Airport to build a new Passenger Terminal and Railway Station offering air passengers faster links to London. The application was sent to him for final ruling after Rochford Council gave the Airport consent subject to Mr Prescott's agreement on a change of use for part of the Airport which was on the edge of green belt. The design capacity for the new Terminal is expected to be in the region of 650,000 passengers a year and the Airport's ageing control tower is also to be relocated as part of the original agreement with Southend Borough Council when the Airport was sold in 1994.

Now
'LondonSouthend' has been privately owned by Regional Airports Limited since April 1994, and was leased from Southend Borough Council on a 150 year lease. The Airport is staffed by around fifty people who cover Air Traffic Control, Administration, Fire, the Airport’s Freight and Cargo operation, security, fuel and aircraft handling.

Currently the Airport employs around 100 people. Some 50 tenant companies on the site involved in aviation related businesses employ a further 1,300 people.

In 1998 the government gave the go-ahead for London Southend Airport to build a new passenger terminal and railway station. The first phase of the Airport’s redevelopment is now aimed for completion in 2009. This includes a new control tower and 4-star hotel.

This section is under review

The Women's Junior Air Corps

Southend Unit (Leigh-on-Sea) was Region 12 of the Women's Junior Air Corps (W.J.A.C) - a uniformed youth organisation aimed at girls of secondary school age and upwards.The WJAC had their own four-seater aircraft, named "Grey Dove". It was a Fairchild Argus, in which girls could fly for 7/6d. On some weekends over a 100 girls could fly depending on weather conditions. Both the WJAC and the ATC (Air Training Corps) met weekly at Southend Airport in what was not much more than an old tin hut, where they learned Morse Code, aircraft recognition, and marching drills.
The Southend Unit was visited by the former ATA pilot Freydis Leafe, who would take three girls up and around the airport perimeter, and back. The cadet who sat next to her took over the controls for a period of time, and each girl took their turn in flying the aircraft.