About us

Norrønafly Rakkestad AS is an aircraft workshop based at Rakkestad Airport, Åstorp.

A recognised aviation workshop

Norrønafly Rakkestad is a recognised aviation workshop with extensive experience and a high level of expertise in the maintenance, repair and modification of small aircraft. We specialise in both single- and twin-engine piston and turbine aircraft, with expertise in both metal and composite structures.

Our main services include:

Maintain aircraft to rigorous certified standards
Structural repairs and comprehensive inspections
Modifications and customisations adapted to the aircraft's area of use and the customer's needs

We also have our own specialised engine workshop for servicing and repairing various types of aircraft engines. In addition, we are an authorised Rotax Repair Centre, offering both maintenance and sales of certified Rotax parts.

Norrønafly Rakkestad also assists in the purchase and sale of aircraft, offering advice and technical support throughout the purchase process, whether you are a first-time buyer or an experienced operator.

Based at Rakkestad Airport, we are proud to offer our services to private owners, clubs and commercial operators throughout Scandinavia.

Our history

Norrønafly (formerly Norrønafly Propeller & Parts) was founded at Fornebu in 1953. Norrønafly was founded by Odvar Korsvold in 1953 and had a hangar, workshop and office. At that time, Norrønafly was located in the part of Fornebu called «Dumpa». In the early years, Norrønafly's business was photo flights, sightseeing flights and all kinds of cargo flights. In 1958, Norrønafly acquired a Convair 240 that was registered as LN-LAU. In co-operation with Erik Myhre Reisebyrå, Norrønafly started charter flights for package tourists to Mallorca. Unfortunately, it was only for this one season. Korsvold realised that Norrønafly did not have the financial muscle to compete with the big players. He continued to focus on the market he knew best, with small aircraft. In 1969, he bought the Åstorp farm in Rakkestad, where a hangar and airstrip were built, which today is known as Rakkestad Airport, Aastorp. Norrønafly has operated in Rakkestad since 1971, and in 1973 we became Norrønafly-Rakkestad AS.

About Odvar Korsvold

Odvar Korsvold (born 22 June 1926, died 9 July 2008) was an aviator and businessman, but best known as the founder of Norrønafly.

He grew up in several places in Northern Norway, partly in Drammen. During the occupation, when Odvar was 17 years old, he had to flee to Sweden in 1943 due to anti-German activities. In Sweden, he first worked as a forestry worker, later in the Norwegian Legation. He trained as a pilot in 1946 with Widerøes Flyveselskap, and in 1949 he flew the Finnmark route for Widerøe and SAS.

He founded A/S Norrønafly on 1 October 1953, which he built up with single-engine aircraft of various types and eventually became a motley fleet based at Fornebu.

The backbone of the company in this build-up phase was the photo department. It generated good income right from the start and well into the 1980s. The clients were Geographical Surveying and Kystkartverket (today Statens kartverk).

In 1954, the company moved to «Dumpa» at Fornebu, where he bought a hangar and some old wooden buildings. Here, service, repairs and maintenance of both his own and other people's aeroplanes were carried out.

In 1958, Norrønafly acquired a Convair 240 and together with Erik Myhre Reisebyrå, Norrønafly became the first company to be able to send «charter tourists» to Mallorca - When the big companies discovered that this was a lucrative market, Odvar realised that little Norrønafly did not have the financial muscle to survive in this battle. He chose to concentrate on his other business areas, which also included importing Piper and Cessna aircraft.

In 1969, Korsvold moved parts of the business to Åstorp Gaard in Rakkestad. Here, a hangar was built and an 800-metre-long airstrip was constructed, which was later extended to the current Rakkestad airport, Åstorp.

In 2003, Norrønafly celebrated its 50th anniversary and Korsvold was able to register that the aircraft workshop in Rakkestad was seen as a major player for the small aircraft community in Norway, able to carry out all major repairs and maintenance of small aircraft.

Texts taken from Wikipedia article about Odvar Korsvold.