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Kirkwall Airport

Kirkwall Airport (IATA: KOI, ICAO: EGPA) (Scottish Gaelic: Port-adhair Bhaile na h-Eaglais) is the main airport serving Orkney in Scotland. It is located 2.5 NM (4.6 km; 2.9 mi) southeast of Kirkwall[1] and is owned by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited. The airport is used by Loganair.

Kirkwall Airport

Port-adhair Bhaile na h-Eaglais
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorHIAL
ServesMainland, Orkney
LocationKirkwall
Hub forLoganair
Elevation AMSL58 ft / 18 m
Coordinates58°57′29″N 002°54′02″W / 58.95806°N 2.90056°W / 58.95806; -2.90056
WebsiteKirkwall Airport
Map
EGPA is located in Orkney Islands
EGPA
EGPA
Location in Orkney
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
09/27 1,428 4,685 Grooved asphalt
14/32 680 2,231 Asphalt
Statistics (2022)
Passengers133,410
Passenger change 2021–22Increase 56%
Aircraft movements9,876
Movements change 2021–22Increase 18%
Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1]
Statistics from the UK Civil Aviation Authority[2]

History

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Foundation

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The airport was built and commissioned in 1940 as RAF Grimsetter for the defence of the Scapa Flow naval base. In 1943, the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm took over, as RNAS Grimsetter then HMS Robin. Control passed in 1948 to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and in 1986 to Highlands and Islands Airports.[3]

Royal Air Force

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The following RAF units were here at some point:

Royal Navy

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On 6 July 1943, RAF Grimsetter was transferred on loan to the Admiralty and known as Royal Naval Air Station Grimsetter (RNAS Grimsetter). On 15 August, it was commissioned as HMS Robin, as a satellite to RNAS Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk),[8] located 1 mi (1.6 km) to the north west of Kirkwall.

The following Fleet Air Arm units were here at some point:[9]

Airlines and destinations

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Passenger

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The following airlines operate regular scheduled flights to and from Kirkwall:

AirlinesDestinations
Loganair[10] Aberdeen, Dundee, Eday,[11] Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, London–Heathrow,[a] North Ronaldsay,[12] Papa Westray, [13] Sanday, [14] Stronsay, [15] Sumburgh, Westray[16]
Seasonal: Fair Isle[17]

Cargo

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AirlinesDestinations
Royal Mail[18] Glasgow, Sumburgh

Statistics and traffic

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Annual traffic statistics

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Annual passenger traffic at KOI airport. See Wikidata query.
Traffic statistics at Kirkwall[19][20]
Year Passengers handled Aircraft movements
No. % change No. % change
2015 160,234 Steady  10,701 Steady 
2016 163,029 Increase  01.7% 11,045 Increase  03.2%
2017 177,248 Increase  09.0% 14,754 Increase  08.7%
2018 181,562 Increase  02.4% 14,771 Increase  00.1%
2019 171,603 Decrease  05.9% 14,247 Decrease  03.5%
2020 63,113 Decrease  63.2% 9,498 Decrease  33.3%
2021 85,665 Increase  35.7% 9,574 Increase  17.0%
2022 133,410 Increase  56.0% 9,876 Increase  18.0%
2023 143,093 Increase  07.0% 10,320 Increase  04.0%

Busiest routes

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Busiest routes to and from Kirkwall (2023)[21]
Rank Airport Passengers handled Change
2022–23
1 Aberdeen 42,821 Increase  5.0%
2 Edinburgh 38,277 Increase  16.0%
3 Glasgow 17,340 Increase  10.0%
4 Sumburgh 6,171 Decrease  20.0%
5 North Ronaldsay 5,903 Increase  7.0%
6 Inverness 5,251 Decrease  9.0%
7 Westray 4,891 Increase  2.0%
8 Papa Westray 4,595 Increase  16.3%
9 Sanday 3,211 Increase  7.0%
10 Stronsay 3,033 Increase  1.0%
11 Heathrow 2,600 Steady 
12 Eday 523 Increase  73.0%
13 London City 231 Steady 
14 Dundee 209 Steady 

Accidents and incidents

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The Viscount G-BGYZ damaged 1979 at Kirkwall seen in Stuttgart, May 1979
  • 25 October 1979 – A Vickers Viscount G-BFYZ of Alidair was damaged beyond economic repair when the aircraft departed the runway after #4 propeller struck the runway. The nosewheel collapsed when the aircraft reached an intersecting runway.[22]

Green energy

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Hydrogen production by electrolysis of water was well under way in late 2020 in Orkney, where clean energy sources (wind, waves, tides) were generating excess electricity that could be used to produce hydrogen gas (H2).[23] A plan was under way at Kirkwall Airport to add a hydrogen combustion engine system to the heating system in order to reduce the significant emissions that were created with older technology that heated buildings and water. This was part of the plan formulated by the Scottish government for the Highlands and Islands "to become the world's first net zero aviation region by 2040".[24]

Artwork

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The airport is notable for the signage on the terminal roof written in runes. The symbols spell the word 'Krimsitir' or 'Grimsetter'[25][better source needed] , the name of the bay next to which the airfield is located, which was similarly the name of the former RAF base.

Notes

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  1. ^ London–Heathrow service is a continuation of the Dundee service as the same flight number

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b "Kirkwall – EGPA". Archived from the original on 16 October 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2008.
  2. ^ "UK airport data". UK Civil Aviation Authority. 21 March 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Kirkwall Airport: About Us". Highlands and Islands Airports. Archived from the original on 18 August 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  4. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 58.
  5. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 59.
  6. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 75.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "Grimsetter (Kirkwall)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  8. ^ "R.N.A.S. Grimsetter". Royal Navy Research Archive - Fleet Air Arm Bases 1939 - present day. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  9. ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 365.
  10. ^ hial.co.uk - Destinations from Kirkwall Airport retrieved 9 March 2024
  11. ^ https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/T/internal-air-services.htm
  12. ^ https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/T/internal-air-services.htm
  13. ^ https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/T/internal-air-services.htm
  14. ^ https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/T/internal-air-services.htm
  15. ^ https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/T/internal-air-services.htm
  16. ^ https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/T/internal-air-services.htm
  17. ^ https://www.adsadvance.co.uk/loganair-relaunches-kirkwall-to-fair-isle-flights.html
  18. ^ "Loganair secures new Royal Mail contract". BBC News. 31 January 2017.
  19. ^ "Airport data 2020 | UK Civil Aviation Authority". caa.co.uk. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  20. ^ "Annual airport data 2023". UK Civil Aviation Authority. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  21. ^ "Annual airport data 2023 | Civil Aviation Authority".
  22. ^ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  23. ^ "How hydrogen is transforming these tiny Scottish islands". BBC News. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  24. ^ "Green hydrogen set to decarbonise airport". Hydrogen East. 20 December 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  25. ^ https://www.orkneyology.com/kirkwall-airport.html

Bibliography

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  • Jefford, C.G. (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Sturtivant, R; Ballance, T (1994). The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-223-8.
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