I have had a couple of people ask about flying in the region and Barbados specifically.
Yes, there are airplanes available to rent here - many more than a few years ago - up from 2 to 4 maybe 5
They fall into two groups US Registered and Barbados registered.
US registered a Chrome Six and my Archer II; Barbados registered a 172 and a 152.
To solo the US one needs an FAA licence (a 61.75 is good so long as with the current originating licence and medical); the Barbados ones can be solo'd with EASA, FAA, JAR etc in Barbados airspace (the 2 out of 3 thing).
With mine one needs 100 hrs total time and a 30 minute CFI check for the insurance, the Six one needs the complex and I understand a similar number of hours. The Barbados registered ones seems to be fluid, yes a checkout and a minimum number of hours, it seems hard to track down how many - may go with the insurance so changes.
The US airplanes are privately owned, the Barbados ones by the airplane club.
Rates - the Six about US$225 per hour local to about US$275 per hour international; the Archer II US $200 per hour; the 172S US$225-275 per hour depending on whether a full club member; the 152 a little under $150 per hour. Hours are generally all Hobbs but do double check when you rent. There are no landing fees and in Barbados, so fly circuits with the big jets all day if you like.
Becoming a member of the airplane club is a good a deal if one is planning more than a couple of hours on the club planes - about US$150.
Instructors between US$30 and US$50 per hour.
Availability on the planes is generally not a problem, the Six flies lobsters a couple of days a month, the Archer flies a couple of times a week, the club planes are used for training and so weekends can be busy, but nothing like a UK flight school.
Taking a plane away for a day trip to another island is not a problem (avoid weekends for club planes - you would need to get a Barbados licence anyway for international), generally you're asked to put an hour a day on the plane - nearest island is an hour away so not likely to be a problem.
The Archer has a couple of wear all the while jackets, a 4 person raft and a GPS PLB - not sure about the others.
No issue with flying to other islands except Mustique (one must get special training), Union Island landing one may want to avoid as it is "interesting" - other than that all airports have long, good condition hard surface runways - there are no uncontrolled airports.
OTHER airplanes - sometimes there is a 140 PA28 here US registered. There was another Archer II here but that was written off in an off airport landing a couple of years back. The Coconut Airways Tomahawk and the Arrow have been languishing in the hangar on Bequia for five years since the death of Chris Gibbson, just too expensive to get then out of there. Also there is a microlight here that one can go for a flight around the island in.
So that's it for flying in Barbados for the coming season.