Within days the airport had been taken over by the Royal Air Force. The air station was officially taken over by the RNoAF on 2 November 1945. Funding to upgrade the airport were dropped in 1946, but the air force continued to work with expansion proposals. Ørland saw a limited amount of civilian traffic. The first route was established by Trøndelag Flyveselskap in 1949, which operated a route to Trondheim Airport, Lade using a three-seat Auster. The route was quickly terminated.