Flying began in the Moorpark area of Renfrew around 1910, with early flyers taking advantage of the area's flat fields to practice their take-off and landing skills. Following the outbreak of World War I, the Ministry of Munitions took over the area between Renfrew and Arkleston, creating an airfield where aircraft Manufactured in Glasgow, by companies such as Weir's, could be tested. Moorpark Aerodrome was formed in 1914 by the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), forerunner to the RAF.
During the 1920s, the Scottish Flying Club established its headquarters there, and the first scheduled air service to operate from Renfrew began in 1933, destined for Campbeltown, soon to be followed with the addition of a London service.
World war II saw the arrival of the RAF, with the Air Ministry taking over the club headquarters, and expanding the buildings to meet it the RAF's requirements. Following the end of World War II, the club returned to the site, and became responsible for running the civil operation of Renfrew Airport.
During the 1950s, air travel grew at an increasing rate, Renfrew was becoming too small to handle the increase, and its location was proving limited with regard to expansion, being bordered by Hillington Industrial Estate, the King George V dock on the Clyde, and Arkleston Cemetery near the main runway. At 2,000 yards and 1,350 yards, the runways were almost as long as those at Prestwick Airport (which handled Transatlantic traffic) at 50 yards, they were only half the width. Plans for a third runway were dropped. The site was also found to suffer from the effects of crosswinds and fog. 1954 Terminal Building new terminal building was constructed at Renfrew in 1954, as part of a limited expansion, and its design was considered to be a classic at the time. The intention had been to dismantle this building, and reconstruct it on the site of the former Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) at Abbotsinch. Unfortunately, the growth in air traffic continued to increase, exceeding earlier projections, with the result that the planned move was forgotten, and the terminal building was destroyed when the site was later cleared for other developments. With no room for further expansion at Renfrew, a new airport was commissioned at Abbotsinch, only two miles east of the former site, but with none of its disadvantages.
Renfrew Airport closed on May 1, 1966, with operations transferring to the new Glasgow Airport, which opened on May 2, 1966. A straight section of the M8 motorway, adjacent to Hillington Industrial Estate, is built upon the line of the former runway. It is not known if the original runway structure lies under the motorway, or if it was replaced by the appropriate substructure for such a roadway.
Info kindly supplied from Secret Scotland website - http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index.php/Secrets/RenfrewAirport