There are many airports around the world that force pilots to put their years of training to good use. However, there is one runway that is covered by the sea twice a day.
In the UK, there is an airport with a “disappearing runway” that can only handle one flight. This was reported by The Mirror.
Barra Airport in the Outer Hebrides, 40 miles (64 km) off the coast of western Scotland, requires pilots to keep an eye out for beachgoers and swimmers near the shore as they come in for a landing on the sand.
There are many airports around the world that force pilots to put their years of training to good use. Madeira Airport in Portugal has a terrible reputation among aviators because they have to fight crosswinds as they tightly circle the hills and descend to the runway. Skiathos Airport in Greece is a magnet for airplane watchers, who gather at the end of the runway to watch pilots land at incredibly low altitudes.
Barra Airport, located in the Outer Hebrides, is known in the world for other difficulties. If the pilot had approached the landing strip at the wrong time of day, he would have discovered that it was submerged under salt water. It is the only airport in the world that uses a tidal beach as a runway. The incoming waves are not the only thing that pilots have to navigate when trying to land. The beach is open to the public, so tourists and people collecting shells have to follow the windsock to check if the airport is open.
Photo: Wikipedia
It was built in 1978 and the number of passengers has almost doubled since then. There were 7,500 of them in the late 70s and 14,800 before the COVID-19 pandemic. The airport provides vital services to the population of the remote island and is also a popular attraction.
In 2022, it received 11,814 passengers. For comparison, the UK’s busiest airport, London Heathrow, saw 61.6 million passengers in the same year, according to Statista. All pilots wishing to land at this airport must undergo special training by four experienced instructors, including two examiners from the Civil Aviation Authority.
The airport has only one flight – to Glasgow – and one airline that serves it, Logan Air. Passengers are not recommended to arrive at the airport earlier than 40 minutes before departure, as the lounge and café are regularly closed.
@janemcnamara6 ☀️🏝️ The most fun place I have ever landed a plane! 😃 Barra Airport is at the northern tip of the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The airport is unique, believed to be the only one in the world where scheduled flights use a tidal beach as a runway! What a paradise ✨ #aviation #isleofbarra #barra #beach #scotland #beachlanding #pilotlife #pilotjane #fun #fyp #fypシ #plane ♬ A Million Dreams Full Bass (Dj) – DJ Zaan
