Shetland airfields
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Shetland airfields
Hello ppruners, I'm hoping you can help me out.
I recently spent a few days in Shetland and had the chance to travel around. During my sojourn I came across Scatsta and some RJ100/146's operating in the livery of "IAC"; can anybody offer info on this operation?
On Unst I happened across the disused airfield. Who operated from here and when did it close down?
Many thanks in anticipation
I recently spent a few days in Shetland and had the chance to travel around. During my sojourn I came across Scatsta and some RJ100/146's operating in the livery of "IAC"; can anybody offer info on this operation?
On Unst I happened across the disused airfield. Who operated from here and when did it close down?
Many thanks in anticipation
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IAC operate a service taking oil personnel to/from Shetland to link up with the choppers going to the outer North Sea rigs and staff working the BIG oil terminal there (I forget its name), its about 3 times daily I think-I had the pleasure of hitching a ride there a couple of years ago-its one very interesting airport to watch a 146 in and out of. (awful sentence sorry!)
There is some pretty wild weather there and I got stuck there an extra 24 hours, but gave me chance to get stuck into the White Widow (or is it White Wife)
There is some pretty wild weather there and I got stuck there an extra 24 hours, but gave me chance to get stuck into the White Widow (or is it White Wife)
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I was at Scatsta late 70s when they opened it up to fly in the guys who were building Sullom Voe. There were three Dan Air HS748 based there providing flights each day taking the construction workers to GLA and bringing the replacements in. The landings were always extremely interesting! Scatsta was operated by Airwork Services then.
At the height of construction, I think BP had about 7000 guys there but I might be wrong.
It was a great place to be at that time. Not much around but a not too bad a social life. The weather was always interesting.
BP also had its own King Air which flew in every day just about
I cant remember why Unst was in use but I do remember the day when the first Dash 7 (?) flew in, I think it was operated or leased from Brymon. Good little hotel up there, think it was called the Baltasound. Brilliant place for the ornithologists.
A wonderful place to visit but watch out for the Shetland ponies, not quite so gentle as they look!!
aa
At the height of construction, I think BP had about 7000 guys there but I might be wrong.
It was a great place to be at that time. Not much around but a not too bad a social life. The weather was always interesting.
BP also had its own King Air which flew in every day just about
I cant remember why Unst was in use but I do remember the day when the first Dash 7 (?) flew in, I think it was operated or leased from Brymon. Good little hotel up there, think it was called the Baltasound. Brilliant place for the ornithologists.
A wonderful place to visit but watch out for the Shetland ponies, not quite so gentle as they look!!
aa
Hotel was the 'Hagdale Lodge' (iirc) modelled on an H block pattern 
Baltasound is I think the RAF base (soon to close apparently).
Unst was set up to support Ninian North, Central and South crewchanges for Chevron. In their time the Ninian fields were among the largest and most populous concrete based platforms in the East Shetland Basin.
Baltasound is I think the RAF base (soon to close apparently).
Unst was set up to support Ninian North, Central and South crewchanges for Chevron. In their time the Ninian fields were among the largest and most populous concrete based platforms in the East Shetland Basin.
Unst Airport was expanded in 1978 to accept oil-related traffic to help relieve pressure on Sumburgh. At its peak of operation during the early 1980s, the airport employed 76 people. Following the downturn of the oil industry in the mid 1990s the oil industry pulled out and the airport was only used by the inter-island service. In 2001 the airport was operating only on a care and maintenance basis with the removal of the inter-island service.
With the airport currently shut down, future plans include examining the possibility of using it as a diversion facility, refuelling and standby facility, offshore safety and search and rescue base or a forward base for far North and West exploration work. The Unst partnership is considering appointing a consultant to explore these possibilities further. UP is now actively marketing the airport to the off- shore oil and gas industry.
The airport is owned and operated by Shetland Islands Council and remains an important asset for the community of Unst. The Council offered the airport to the Unst community in 2000. The Unst Airport Trust will be established when a client is found to become the airport operator.
In the meantime plans have been drawn up for a smaller terminal building to be constructed in 2001. A Public Service Obligation (PSO) is also being sought to
allow the inter-island route to be subsidised without falling foul of European State Aid Regulations.
The airport is also a suitable site for further industrial activity given the presence of existing infrastructure. Any new uses must not interfere with the current and future operation of the airport.
photos at
http://www.northisles.shetland.co.uk...cunst/019.html
With the airport currently shut down, future plans include examining the possibility of using it as a diversion facility, refuelling and standby facility, offshore safety and search and rescue base or a forward base for far North and West exploration work. The Unst partnership is considering appointing a consultant to explore these possibilities further. UP is now actively marketing the airport to the off- shore oil and gas industry.
The airport is owned and operated by Shetland Islands Council and remains an important asset for the community of Unst. The Council offered the airport to the Unst community in 2000. The Unst Airport Trust will be established when a client is found to become the airport operator.
In the meantime plans have been drawn up for a smaller terminal building to be constructed in 2001. A Public Service Obligation (PSO) is also being sought to
allow the inter-island route to be subsidised without falling foul of European State Aid Regulations.
The airport is also a suitable site for further industrial activity given the presence of existing infrastructure. Any new uses must not interfere with the current and future operation of the airport.
photos at
http://www.northisles.shetland.co.uk...cunst/019.html
Last edited by LTNman; 14th Aug 2005 at 07:34.
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Baltasound Hotel, the most northerly hotel of the British Isles. Built in Scandinavian style of wood, mind you things might have changed as I am going back 26 years (showing my age now) but I am pretty certain it is still there!
Shame about the airfield mind you the photos make it look as if there are a couple more buildings/portacabins than when I was there.
aa
Shame about the airfield mind you the photos make it look as if there are a couple more buildings/portacabins than when I was there.
aa
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I live at the end of the runway at Scatsta and have been commuting weekly to ABZ on the 146's for the last two years. Runway is a bit short and narrow for 146's but that make flying in and out pretty exciting 
Scatsta's seen a number of aircraft through the Oil Industry era but mainly Dan Air 748's, the Brymon Dash 7's
that moved from Unst and a Shorts 330 that blew over one windy night
Arriving at Scatsta in the 146 with a marginal crosswind usually makes for a fast and pretty hard landing - you need to be prepared to clip the air vent console back in place....Flightline pilots do a damn good job given the poor weather that affects the place - low cloud in the summer and strong variable win the rest of the year.....
Odd thing I found was that the first flight out on the Monday morning was never late but the delays were usually whenever I was trying to get back to Scatsta at the end of the week.
Scatsta's seen a number of aircraft through the Oil Industry era but mainly Dan Air 748's, the Brymon Dash 7's that moved from Unst and a Shorts 330 that blew over one windy night Arriving at Scatsta in the 146 with a marginal crosswind usually makes for a fast and pretty hard landing - you need to be prepared to clip the air vent console back in place....Flightline pilots do a damn good job given the poor weather that affects the place - low cloud in the summer and strong variable win the rest of the year..... Odd thing I found was that the first flight out on the Monday morning was never late but the delays were usually whenever I was trying to get back to Scatsta at the end of the week.
