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
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

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 Kirkwall then HMS Robin. Control passed in 1948 to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and in 1986 to Highlands and Islands Airports.[3]

The following units were here at some point:[4]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger
AirlinesDestinations
Loganair Aberdeen, Dundee, Eday, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, London–Heathrow, North Ronaldsay, Papa Westray, Sanday, Stronsay, Sumburgh, Westray
Seasonal: Bergen, Fair Isle (begins 19 May 2024)

Cargo
AirlinesDestinations
Royal Mail[9] Aberdeen, Sumburgh, Inverness

Statistics and traffic

Annual traffic statistics
Annual passenger traffic at KOI airport. See Wikidata query.
Traffic statistics at Kirkwall[10]
Year Passengers handled Aircraft movements
No.% changeNo.% change
2015 160,234 Steady 10,701 Steady
2016 163,029 Increase 1.7% 11,045 Increase 3.2%
2017 177,248 Increase 9% 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 35.7% 9,574 Increase 17.0%
2022 133,410 Increase 56.0% 9,876 Increase 18.0%

Busiest routes
Busiest routes to and from Kirkwall (2022)[11]
Rank Airport Passengers handled Change
2021–2022
1 Aberdeen 40,953 Increase 38.5%
2 Edinburgh 33,119 Increase 158.5%
3 Glasgow 15,813 Increase 123.3%
4 Sumburgh 7,727 Increase 22.1%
5 Inverness 5,772 Increase 113.6%
6 North Ronaldsay 5,531 Increase 10.1%
7 Papa Westray 4,595 Increase 16.3%
8 Westray 3,216 Increase 15.6%
9 Sanday 3,002 Increase 17.7%
10 Stronsay 2,995 Increase 14.7%
11 Eday 302 Increase 2.0%

Green energy

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).[12] 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".[13]

Accidents and incidents
  • 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.[14]

References

Citations
  1. "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. Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 365.
  5. Jefford 1988, p. 58.
  6. Jefford 1988, p. 59.
  7. Jefford 1988, p. 75.
  8. "Grimsetter (Kirkwall)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  9. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-38810648
  10. "Airport data 2020 | UK Civil Aviation Authority". caa.co.uk. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  11. "Annual airport data 2022 | Civil Aviation Authority".
  12. "How hydrogen is transforming these tiny Scottish islands". BBC News. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  13. "Green hydrogen set to decarbonise airport". Hydrogen East. 20 December 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  14. "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 8 October 2009.

Bibliography
  • 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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