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Old 4th February 2006 | 19:18
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boomerangben
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 224
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From: UK
If you are intending to do the NW coast, then as Helicopter Redeye says the Inner Hebrides are great. We were at Jura last summer and I would conclude that it is no longer suitable for anything other than helicopters.

Skye is stunning and Broadford is a good little strip (but don't park near the RAF fuel dump - big helicopters - big downwash!) Plockton is also good (contact PDG Helicopters). The Highland and Islands airports are run by people thinking they are running Heathrow on a shoe string, but the Benbecula and Stornoway ATC are friendly and helpful. Both have 100LL although check with Benebecula (the air ambulance is changing from an Islander to Kingair this spring so Loganair might stop having 100LL at Benbecula). St Kilda is on 40nm from Benbecula and is worth seeing on a nice day - just watch out for turbulance down wind.

On a nice day the Outer Hebrides and the mainland are stunning and remote -Harris has some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe and worth at least a fly over. There are some good hotels down there too, but a long way from the nearest strip. I can also recommend going over the top ie Cape Wrath to Wick. I gather that Orkney is worth a visit too.

Don't be put off by the Highland Restricted area - it is only operational from mid afternoon (although you can expect low level fast jet traffic at any time but they will be VFR). At some stage in June there is generally a big military exercise on the west coast. It is well worth (if you have the flexibility) avoiding the area at that time (AIAAs spring up all over the place).
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