Barra Airport

Barra Airport (EGPR) (also known as Barra Eoligarry Airport) is a short- runway airport situated in the wide shallow bay of Traigh Mhòr at the north tip of the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The airport is unique, being the only one in the world where scheduled flights use a beach as the runway. The airport is operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited, which owns most of the regional airports in mainland Scotland and the outlying islands. The beach is set out with three runways, marked by wooden poles at their ends. This allows the Twin Otters that serve the airport to almost always land into the wind. At high tide these runways are under the sea - flight times vary with the tide. Emergency flights occasionally operate at night from the airport, with vehicle lights used to illuminate the runway and reflective strips laid on to the beach. Barra Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P792) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Highlands & Islands Airports Limited). The aerodrome is not licensed for night use. The airport has a elevation of 5ft and it has 3 runways. The first one 07/25 is 2621ft long, second one 11/29 is 2231ft long and the thrid one 15/33 is 2776ft long. The beach is also popular with visitors and cockle pickers, who are asked to observe the windsock to see if the airport is in operation.