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Kirkwall Airport

Coordinates: 58°57′29″N 002°54′02″W / 58.95806°N 2.90056°W / 58.95806; -2.90056
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(Redirected from RAF Grimsetter)

Kirkwall Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorHIAL
ServesMainland, Orkney
LocationKirkwall, Scotland
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
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
09/27 1,430 4,692 Grooved asphalt
14/32 677 2,221 Asphalt
Statistics (2022)
Passengers143,093
Passenger change 2022–23Increase 7.3%
Aircraft movements11,443
Movements change 2022–23Decrease 2.7%
Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1]
Statistics from the UK Civil Aviation Authority[2]

Kirkwall Airport (IATA: KOI, ICAO: EGPA) 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.

History

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Foundation

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The airport was built and commissioned in 1940 as Royal Air Force Grimsetter , or simply RAF Grimsetter, for the defence of the Scapa Flow naval base. It took its name from the farm of Grimsetter, which the airfield was built over. In 1943, the Royal Navy took over the airbase and it was known as Royal Naval Air Station Grimsetter, commonly referred to as RNAS Grimsetter, later commissioned as HMS Robin and used by the Fleet Air Arm. 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 mile (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, Belfast–City,[a][11] Dundee,[12] Eday,[13] Edinburgh,[14] Glasgow, Inverness, London-Heathrow,[b][15] Manchester,[c][11] North Ronaldsay,[16] Papa Westray,[17] Sanday,[18] Stronsay,[19] Sumburgh, Westray[20]
Seasonal: Fair Isle,[21] Bergen[d]

Cargo

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AirlinesDestinations
Royal Mail[22] Glasgow, Sumburgh

Statistics and traffic

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Annual traffic statistics

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Traffic statistics at Kirkwall[23]
Year Passengers handled Aircraft movements
No. % change No. % change
2015 160,234 Steady 10,701 Steady
2016 163,029 Increase 1.7% 11,045 Increase 3.2%
2017 177,248 Increase 9.0% 14,754 Increase 8.7%
2018 181,562 Increase 2.4% 14,771 Increase 0.1%
2019 171,603 Decrease 5.9% 14,247 Decrease 3.5%
2020 63,113 Decrease 63.2% 9,498 Decrease 33.3%
2021 85,665 Increase 40.0% 11,114 Increase 17.0%
2022 133,410 Increase 55.7% 11,758 Increase 5.8%
2023 143,093 Increase 7.3% 11,443 Decrease 2.7%

Busiest routes

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Busiest routes to and from Kirkwall (2023)[24]
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.[25]

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).[26] 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".[27]

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'[28][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 and the name of the farm upon which the airfield was built.

Notes

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  1. ^ Belfast–City service is a continuation of the Inverness service as the same flight number
  2. ^ London Heathrow service is a continuation of the Dundee service as the same flight number
  3. ^ Manchester service is a continuation of the Inverness service as the same flight number
  4. ^ Bergen service is a continuation of the Inverness service as the same flight number

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b "Nats UK | AIP".
  2. ^ "UK airport data". UK Civil Aviation Authority. 17 July 2024.
  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. ^ "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. ^ a b {{cite web|url=https://orcadian.co.uk/belfast-and-manchester-added-to-kirkwalls-flight-schedule/
  12. ^ Liu, Jim. "UK NS23 New Routes Addition Summary – 25DEC22". Aeroroutes.com. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  13. ^ https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/T/internal-air-services.htm [bare URL]
  14. ^ Liu, Jim. "Loganair NS24 Service Changes – 25FEB24". Aeroroutes.com. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  15. ^ Liu, Jim. "Loganair Moves Derry / Dundee – London Service to Heathrow From May 2023". Aeroroutes.com. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  16. ^ https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/T/internal-air-services.htm [bare URL]
  17. ^ https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/T/internal-air-services.htm [bare URL]
  18. ^ https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/T/internal-air-services.htm [bare URL]
  19. ^ https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/T/internal-air-services.htm [bare URL]
  20. ^ https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/T/internal-air-services.htm [bare URL]
  21. ^ "Loganair relaunches Kirkwall to Fair Isle flights - ADS Advance".
  22. ^ "Loganair secures new Royal Mail contract". BBC News. 31 January 2017.
  23. ^ "UK airport data | UK Civil Aviation Authority". caa.co.uk. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  24. ^ "Annual airport data 2023 | Civil Aviation Authority".
  25. ^ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  26. ^ "How hydrogen is transforming these tiny Scottish islands". BBC News. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  27. ^ "Green hydrogen set to decarbonise airport". Hydrogen East. 20 December 2020. Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  28. ^ "Kirkwall Airport, Orkney: Memories from a Neighbor".

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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