And what, we hear you ask, is happening on the long-heralded new air service front? And well might you ask, for, apart from being a year or three behind schedule and a few odd million quid or so over budget, things have been ominously quiet for the last couple of months.
Well, don't hold your breath, but a wee bird tells us that the project could at long last have take-off before the month of June is out (the year wasn't specified...).
But what we can tell you for certain is that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) flew in to the airstrip again on Tuesday last, to give the airport a "final inspection". This, we believe, went very well, and there appeared to be no significant obstacles in the way of the airstrip being granted its licence. Coll and Connell were to be inspected by the CAA on the days following, and if all went well there too, well, the project might at long last become a reality.
We shall of course bring you any breaking news in our next Issue.
Blimey Skye has moved a long way, poor old Mull....maybe that's why he got the rain shadow all wrong, too. 75 inches on average, 152 inches in a bad year. What he meant to say was that the high ground around Oban causes clouds to dump their rain on the pretty little town.
Still it is a smashing airfield to visit cos we always get to go there when the weather is good.
CWW
Brilliant site - obviously the gentleman has a weakness for mind altering drugs if he can wax that lyrical about the shiny new tin shed.
I have to say Paul was a helpful as ever last weekend - and I so admire the silly rows of buoys on the approach. Surprising how many of the shiny new signs seem to have some impact damage already. Shame they did not plant them in the grass like virtually everywhere else....
Does anyone know what kind of conditions the islander will actually work in? The ferry is dependent on wind direction and tide, while presumably the islander will just have to worry about wind? Will they be flying VFR only?
Given the fact that there is a mountain at the end of the runway at Oban it is hard to see how an instrument approach would work! My guess is VFR only.
Is Barry McCaig on this forum or does anyone know anything about him? - is he an aviator background person or just plain council etc? genuine reason for interest... pm would be better - cheers
Read the newspaper article more carefully. It says that there will be flights on days when there is no ferry service; it does not say that there will be flights when the ferry is unable to operate.
Read the newspaper article more carefully. It says that there will be flights on days when there is no ferry service; it does not say that there will be flights when the ferry is unable to operate.
The article actually says, and this is cut and pasted....
Quote:
It means that if a ferry can’t get in because of bad weather, they can get a plane in and it provides another lifeline for them
Sounds pretty clear to me, who hasn't read the story?
Point taken, I had in mind the newspaper's comment (which to me seemed to refer to timetabling) not the councillor's remarks (which certainly raises eyebrows)
High winds produce waves, which don't go down immediately the wind drops. The islander can get in and out in a short time with lower winds. The ferry has to wait until the sea at the pier is calm enough for it to tie up. Colonsay does not have a good sheltered harbour.
pm would be better - cheers
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