Islay Airport
| Islay Airport Gaelic: Port-adhair Ìle | |||
 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Code | IATA: ILY, ICAO: EGPI | ||
| County | Argyllshire | ||
| Island | Islay | ||
| Public airfield | |||
| Operator | Highlands and Islands Airports Limited | ||
| Location | Glenegedale NR32485146 55°40’58"N, 6°15’27"W | ||
| Runway(s) | 5,070 feet (Asphalt) 2,083 feet (Asphalt) | ||
| Website | HIAL Islay Airport | ||
Islay Airport (IATA: ILY, ICAO: EGPI) (also known as Glenegedale Airport) is on the Hebridean island of Islay in Argyllshire, and located 4.5 nautical miles north-north-west of the island's main port, Port Ellen.
This is a small, rural airport owned and maintained by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited. Today the airport is used for scheduled services to the mainland, and for air ambulances.
History
The first airports were built in Islay in the 1930s, although these were just grass strips. In 1940, during the Second World War, Winston Churchill ordered military airports to be constructed in the western islands of Scotland, both to defend against a German assault on Britain and also to provide reconnaissance planes a base to fly missions over the Atlantic Ocean. The present Islay airport was constructed as RAF Port Ellen in 1940, and received a concrete runway in 1942. During the War, over 1,500 Royal Air Force personnel were stationed at RAF Port Ellen.[1]
On 29 June 1994, the Prince of Wales made headlines when he overshot the runway while landing a BAe 146 of No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron of the RAF on the runway of the airport. No one was injured, however the aeroplane was badly damaged.[2][3]
Destinations
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Islay Airport) |
References
- ↑ Shaw, Robbie (Jan–Feb 2015). "Serving the Southern Hebrides". Airports of the World (Key Publishing Ltd.) (57): pp. 80–83.
- ↑ Prince gives up flying royal aircraft
- ↑ Official report [archive.org]
