St Athan (Welsh: Sain Tathan) is a village and community in the Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales.
The village and parish church is dedicated to St Tathan. There are two pubs in the village, the King's Cup and the Four Bells. There is also a skate park and two community centres, one of which holds a fun-day on a yearly basis. The village has a football team.
MOD St Athan (IATA: DGX, ICAO: EGDX) is a large United Kingdom Ministry of Defence unit near the village of St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan, southern Wales. It is the designated site for the United Kingdom's new defence training academy due for completion in 2017. It once claimed to be the largest Royal Air Force (RAF) station (though several gunnery ranges such as RAF Spadeadam are larger in area).
The base has been home to the RAF No 4 School of Technical Training throughout its life, as well as a major aircraft maintenance unit. The base has also been used to house British Army units, including the 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards. At one time it was home to a large collection of historical aircraft.
The only squadrons to operate out of St Athan on a regular basis are the University of Wales Air Squadron (one of fourteen RAF University Air Squadrons), flying Grob Tutors and No 634 Volunteer Gliding Squadron using Vigilant T.1s. 2300 Squadron of the Air Training Corps is also located on the Station.
On 26 August 1993 an ATC Civilian Instructor was seriously injured and the RAF Volunteer Reserve pilot was killed when their Chipmunk trainer, on an air experience flight, crashed after encountering difficulties during a simulated emergency low-height manoeuvre on take-off. The pilot attempted to recover the aircraft in a reciprocal approach however it struck the roof of the Engine Repair and Overhaul Squadron hangar and crashed to the ground at the foot of the adjacent hangar.
