Foula Airfield

Foula Airfield (IATA: FOA) is an airfield located on the remote island of Foula, part of the Shetland Islands in the north of Scotland.

Foula Airfield
Summary
OwnerFoula Airstrip Trust [1]
ServesFoula, Shetland Islands
Elevation AMSL150 ft / 46 m
Coordinates60°07′18″N 2°03′12″W
Websitehttp://www.shetland.gov.uk/transport/internal_air.asp
Map
FOA is located in Shetland
FOA
FOA
Location in Shetland
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
18/36 1,252 382

History

The airstrip opened in the 1970s and is run by the Foula Airstrip Trust, Scottish charity number SC021728.[2] Foula is also served by a ferry service running three times a week but it is claimed that tourists prefer the short flight to the 135 minute ferry crossing. Also, the ferry is based on Foula, so a day trip to the island is only possible by air. The flights are used to transport essentials such as medical prescriptions to the island, which has a population of 38.[1][3]

The airfield also provides the island's only public toilet and telephone.[4][5]

Airline and destination

Foula is served by a PSO service from Tingwall Airport run by Airtask Group and funded by Shetland Islands Council.[6][7] The service uses a Britten Norman Islander aircraft and runs 7 times a week in winter[8] and 13 times a week in summer,[9] with a flying time of 15 minutes.[3] Flights are heavily weather dependent due to fog and crosswind.[4]

AirlinesDestinations
Directflight Lerwick

Accidents and incidents

In June 2014 flights were suspended as it was believed that the airfield's insurance was not suitable following the closure of the island's fire station in 2012.[3][10] Flights have since resumed.


  • Photograph of an aircraft landing at Foula Airfield
    Flight arriving from Tingwall Airport
  • Photograph of baggage handling at Foula Airstrip
    Baggage being loaded.
  • Photograph of aircraft disembarking at Foula Airfield
    Arrival from Tingwall about to disembark.

References
  1. Griffiths, Rosalind (20 June 2014). "Foula flights halted over lack of fire cover". Shetland Times.
  2. "Foula Airstrip (Number 2) Trust, SC021728". www.oscr.org.uk. Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  3. "Foula". Visit Shetland.
  4. "Foula" (PDF). Shetland Heritage.
  5. "General Information". Foula Heritage. Archived from the original on 30 October 2017.
  6. "Shetland Islands Inter Island Air Service". Airtask Group.
  7. "Roads, Transport and Parking > Transport > Tingwall Airport". shetland.gov.uk. Shetland Island Council. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  8. "Winter timetable" (PDF).
  9. "Summer Timetable" (PDF).
  10. Bevington, Pete (19 June 2014). "Foula and Skerries flights suspended". Shetland News. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
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