The aerodrome was opened in May 1933, and initially services were provided from Glasgow via Campbeltown by the Midland and Scottish Air Ferries company. However, this was short-lived as the company closed down in late 1934.[3] Services were taken over by a new company, Northern & Scottish Airways who operated a De Havilland Dragon aircraft three times per week from Glasgow.[4] In 1937, the company amalgamated with Highland Airways and formed Scottish Airways, who operated daily flights from Glasgow to Islay on Monday to Saturday. This service continued with minor disruptions for urgent military duties for the duration of the Second World War.[5]
In 1940, during the Second World War, the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, ordered military airfields to be constructed in the western islands of Scotland, both to defend against a German assault on the Scottish mainland 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 Second World War, over 1,500 Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel were stationed at RAF Port Ellen.[6]
On 1 February 1947, Scottish Airways Ltd and its subsidiary company Western Isles Airways Ltd was taken over by British European Airways Corporation as part of the nationalisation of transport services under the Civil Aviation Act of 1946.[10] In 1948, a question was raised in the House of Commons in relation to the number of staff (17) currently employed.[11]
On 28 September 1957, de Havilland Heron 1B G-AOFY, while operating a flight for the Scottish Air Ambulance Service, crashed on approach to Islay, in bad weather. The three occupants, Captain T.M. Calderwood, radio officer Hugh McGinlay, and Sister Jane Kennedy from Glasgow's Southern General Hospital were killed.[12] One of the remaining two Herons was named Sister Jean Kennedy after the nurse; the other after James Young Simpson, a Scottish pioneer in anaesthetics.[13] This was the first crash in the history of the Scottish Air Ambulance Service.
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. Although no one was injured, the plane was badly damaged.[14][15]
^"Annual airport data 2022 | Civil Aviation Authority".
^"Air Services to Islay and Campbeltown". The Scotsman. Scotland. 17 September 1934. Retrieved 24 February 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"New Scots Air Co. Glasgow, Kintyre and Islay Service to be reopened". The Scotsman. Scotland. 27 November 1934. Retrieved 24 February 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"War Service". Daily Record. Scotland. 7 November 1945. Retrieved 24 February 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^Shaw, Robbie (January–February 2015). "Serving the Southern Hebrides". Airports of the World. No. 57. Key Publishing Ltd. pp. 80–83.
^"B.E.A.C. takes over today". The Scotsman. Scotland. 1 February 1947. Retrieved 24 February 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Commons Questions. Islay Aerodrome "Shocking Waste of Personnel"". The Scotsman. Scotland. 22 January 1948. Retrieved 24 February 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Three die in 'flying lifeboat'". The People. Scotland. 29 September 1957. Retrieved 25 February 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"ASN Aircraft accident de Havilland DH-114 Heron 1B G-AOFY Islay-Glenegedale (ILY)". Aviation Safety Network. 28 September 1957. from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
^"Airport data 2022 | UK Civil Aviation Authority".
Bibliographyedit
Sturtivant, R; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN0-85130-252-1.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Islay Airport.
Official website for Islay Airport
April 12, 2024
islay, airport, iata, icao, egpi, also, known, glenegedale, airport, scottish, gaelic, port, adhair, Ìle, located, nautical, miles, kilometres, statute, miles, north, northwest, port, ellen, island, islay, argyll, bute, west, coast, scotland, small, rural, air. Islay Airport IATA ILY ICAO EGPI also known as Glenegedale Airport Scottish Gaelic Port adhair Ile is located 4 5 nautical miles 8 3 kilometres 5 2 statute miles north northwest of Port Ellen 1 on the island of Islay in Argyll and Bute off the west coast of Scotland It is a small rural airport owned and maintained by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited Today the airport is used for scheduled services to the Scottish mainland and for air ambulances Islay AirportPort adhair IleIATA ILYICAO EGPISummaryAirport typePublicOwner OperatorHIALServesIslayLocationIslay Argyll and ButeOpenedMay 1 1933 1933 05 01 Elevation AMSL56 ft 17 mCoordinates55 41 00 N 006 15 35 W 55 68333 N 6 25972 W 55 68333 6 25972Websitewww wbr hial wbr co wbr uk wbr islay airportMapEGPILocation in ScotlandRunwaysDirection Length Surfacem ft12 30 1 545 5 069 Asphalt07 25 635 2 083 AsphaltStatistics 2022 Passengers26 268Passenger change 21 22102 Aircraft Movements1 397Movements change 21 2211 Sources UK AIP at NATS 1 Statistics from the UK Civil Aviation Authority 2 Contents 1 History 2 Airlines and destinations 3 Statistics 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Citations 5 2 Bibliography 6 External linksHistory editThe aerodrome was opened in May 1933 and initially services were provided from Glasgow via Campbeltown by the Midland and Scottish Air Ferries company However this was short lived as the company closed down in late 1934 3 Services were taken over by a new company Northern amp Scottish Airways who operated a De Havilland Dragon aircraft three times per week from Glasgow 4 In 1937 the company amalgamated with Highland Airways and formed Scottish Airways who operated daily flights from Glasgow to Islay on Monday to Saturday This service continued with minor disruptions for urgent military duties for the duration of the Second World War 5 In 1940 during the Second World War the Prime Minister Winston Churchill ordered military airfields to be constructed in the western islands of Scotland both to defend against a German assault on the Scottish mainland 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 Second World War over 1 500 Royal Air Force RAF personnel were stationed at RAF Port Ellen 6 The following units were here at some point 7 Relief Landing Ground for No 3 Coastal Operational Training Unit RAF August 1941 8 No 48 Squadron RAF No 304 Ferry Training Unit RAF December 1942 December 1943 9 878 Naval Air Squadron 890 Naval Air SquadronOn 1 February 1947 Scottish Airways Ltd and its subsidiary company Western Isles Airways Ltd was taken over by British European Airways Corporation as part of the nationalisation of transport services under the Civil Aviation Act of 1946 10 In 1948 a question was raised in the House of Commons in relation to the number of staff 17 currently employed 11 On 28 September 1957 de Havilland Heron 1B G AOFY while operating a flight for the Scottish Air Ambulance Service crashed on approach to Islay in bad weather The three occupants Captain T M Calderwood radio officer Hugh McGinlay and Sister Jane Kennedy from Glasgow s Southern General Hospital were killed 12 One of the remaining two Herons was named Sister Jean Kennedy after the nurse the other after James Young Simpson a Scottish pioneer in anaesthetics 13 This was the first crash in the history of the Scottish Air Ambulance Service 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 Although no one was injured the plane was badly damaged 14 15 Airlines and destinations editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed January 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message AirlinesDestinationsHebridean Air ServicesCharter Colonsay ObanaLoganairGlasgowNotesaFlight operates via ColonsayStatistics editGraphs are unavailable due to technical issues There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki org Annual passenger traffic at ILY airport See Wikidata query Busiest routes to and from Islay Airport in 2022 16 Rank Airport Passengers handled 2021 22 Change1 Glasgow 25 849 nbsp 111 1 See also editRAF KilchiaranReferences editCitations edit a b Islay EGPI Annual airport data 2022 Civil Aviation Authority Air Services to Islay and Campbeltown The Scotsman Scotland 17 September 1934 Retrieved 24 February 2023 via British Newspaper Archive New Scots Air Co Glasgow Kintyre and Islay Service to be reopened The Scotsman Scotland 27 November 1934 Retrieved 24 February 2023 via British Newspaper Archive War Service Daily Record Scotland 7 November 1945 Retrieved 24 February 2023 via British Newspaper Archive Shaw Robbie January February 2015 Serving the Southern Hebrides Airports of the World No 57 Key Publishing Ltd pp 80 83 Port Ellen Glenegedale Islay Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust Retrieved 14 September 2022 Sturtivant Hamlin amp Halley 1997 p 233 Sturtivant Hamlin amp Halley 1997 p 116 B E A C takes over today The Scotsman Scotland 1 February 1947 Retrieved 24 February 2023 via British Newspaper Archive Commons Questions Islay Aerodrome Shocking Waste of Personnel The Scotsman Scotland 22 January 1948 Retrieved 24 February 2023 via British Newspaper Archive Three die in flying lifeboat The People Scotland 29 September 1957 Retrieved 25 February 2023 via British Newspaper Archive ASN Aircraft accident de Havilland DH 114 Heron 1B G AOFY Islay Glenegedale ILY Aviation Safety Network 28 September 1957 Archived from the original on 6 June 2011 Retrieved 30 May 2010 Prince gives up flying royal aircraft Official report archive org Airport data 2022 UK Civil Aviation Authority Bibliography edit Sturtivant R Hamlin J Halley J 1997 Royal Air Force flying training and support units UK Air Britain Historians ISBN 0 85130 252 1 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Islay Airport Official website for Islay Airport Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Islay Airport amp oldid 1217692054, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
