Barra Airport

Barra Airport (Scottish Gaelic: Port-adhair Bharraigh) (IATA: BRR, ICAO: EGPR) (also known as Barra Eoligarry Airport) is a short-runway airport (or STOLport) situated in the wide shallow bay of Traigh Mhòr at the northern tip of the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The airport is unique, being the only one in the world where scheduled flights use a tidal beach as the runway.[3] The airport is operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited, which owns most of the regional airports in mainland Scotland and the outlying islands. Barra Airport opened in 1936. The airport's only destination is Glasgow.[4]

Not to be confused with Barra Airport (Brazil).

Barra Airport

Port-adhair Bharraigh
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorHighlands and Islands Airports Limited
LocationBarra
Na h-Eileanan Siar
Elevation AMSL1-4 ft / 0–1 m
Coordinates57°01′22″N 07°26′35″W
WebsiteBarra Airport
Map
EGPR
Location of airport in Scotland
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
07/25 799 2,621 Sand
11/29 680 2,231 Sand
15/33 846 2,776 Sand
Statistics (2015)
Passengers10,658
Passenger change 14–151.3%
Aircraft Movements1,034
Movements change 14–154.7%
Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1]
Statistics from the UK Civil Aviation Authority[2]

Infrastructure

The beach is set out with three runways in a triangle, marked by permanent wooden poles at their ends, in directions 07/25, 11/29, 15/33. This almost always allows the Twin Otters that serve the airport to land into the wind. At high tide these runways are under the sea; flight times vary with the tide. Emergency flights occasionally operate at night from the airport, with vehicle lights used to illuminate the runway and reflective strips laid on to the beach.[5]

Barra Airport also has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P792) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Highlands & Islands Airports Limited). The aerodrome is not licensed for night use.[6]

Airline and destination
AirlinesDestinations
Loganair Glasgow

Trivia
  • The beach is also popular with visitors and cockle pickers, who are asked to observe the windsock to see if the airport is in operation.
  • In 2011, Barra Airport was voted No.1 in the world's top airport approaches by a poll conducted by PrivateFly.com.[7] The previous year, Barra took 10th place.
  • Plane taxiing on arrival
  • The airport runway - An Tràigh Mhòr ("The Great Beach")
  • Barra Airport, with plane on final approach
  • Twin Otter landing at Barra Airport
  • Twin Otter at Barra airport, ground crew preparing for takeoff
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References
  1. Wick - EGPC
  3. "Barra Airport". Highlands and Islands Airports Limited. Archived from the original on 22 March 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
  4. "Barra airport destinations". Barra Airport - HIAL. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  5. Khan, Stephen (10 November 2002). "Dogfight over Barra to keep air link open". The Observer. Retrieved 4 May 2009.
  6. Civil Aviation Authority Aerodrome Ordinary Licences Archived 28 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  7. "Top 10 Airport Approaches 2011". PrivateFly.com. November 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2013.

Further reading
  • Times subject to Tides - The Story of Barra Airport, Roy Calderwood, Kea Publishing 1999 ISBN 978-0-9518958-3-2 http://www.keapublishing.com
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