Islay Airport (also known as Glenegedale Airport) is located north-northwest of Port Ellen on the island of Islay in

Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute ( sco, Argyll an Buit; gd, Earra-Ghàidheal agus Bòd, ) is one of 32 unitary authority council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area. The current lord-lieutenant for Argyll and Bute is Jane Margaret MacLeod (14 July 2020) ...

, off the west coast of Scotland. It is a small rural

airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surfa ...

owned and maintained by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited. Today the airport is used for scheduled services to the Scottish mainland, and for

air ambulance Air medical services is a comprehensive term covering the use of air transportation, aeroplane or helicopter, to move patients to and from healthcare facilities and accident scenes. Personnel provide comprehensive prehospital and emergency and cri ...

History

The first airports were built in Islay in the 1930s, although these were just grass strips. In 1940, during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, the

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from ...

ordered military airfields to be constructed in the western islands of Scotland, both to defend against a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

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 The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

(RAF) personnel were stationed at RAF Port Ellen. The following units were here at some point: * Relief Landing Ground for

No. 3 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF No. 3 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF (3 OTU) was a training unit of Royal Air Force Coastal Command, operating from 27 November 1940 and disbanding 4 January 1944, being absorbed into No. 6 OTU. History The unit formed at RAF Chivenor ...

(August 1941) * No. 48 Squadron RAF * No. 304 Ferry Training Unit RAF (December 1942 - December 1943) *

878 Naval Air Squadron 878 Naval Air Squadron (878 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land a ...

* 890 Naval Air Squadron On 29 June 1994, the Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince of Wales made headlines when he overshot the runway while landing a BAe 146 of No. 32 Squadron RAF, No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron of the RAF on the runway of the airport. Although no one was injured, the plane was badly damaged.Official report
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Airlines and destinations

;Notes * Flight operates via Colonsay Airport, Colonsay

Statistics

References

Citations

Bibliography

External links

Official website
for Islay Airport Airports in Scotland Highlands and Islands Airports Airports established in 1940 1940 establishments in Scotland Islay {{UK-airport-stub