The reliability of flights into Inverness Airport will improve within the next year with the installation of an instrument landing system.

Bob Macleod, managing director of Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL), told members of Inverness Chamber of Commerce at a lunch meeting in Inverness today (Tuesday, February 12) that – subject to final confirmation of funding – the company would invest over £1 million in an instrument landing system (ILS) covering both approaches to the main runway.

"The development, which we are commissioning in response to airline requests, should reduce diversions because of poor visibility by over 60 per cent," said Mr Macleod. "Installation should be completed within the next 12 months."

Inverness Airport is currently served by non-precision navigational aids. Diversions occur when low cloud conditions restrict visibility to below the authorised ceiling of 350 feet approaching from the north-east and 400 feet approaching from the south-west. ILS, which enables pilots to use more sophisticated onboard navigational systems, will reduce the ceiling to 200 feet on both approaches.

"This development will have a major impact on the reliability of incoming flights when low cloud reduces visibility," said Mr Macleod. "At present, such conditions can disrupt inbound and subsequent outbound services and seriously inconvenience the travelling public."

But Mr Macleod stressed: "ILS will not eliminate diversions altogether. At certain times of the year, Inverness experiences fog or haar which reduces the cloud base to well below 200 feet and visibility to less than 1,000 metres. However, records show that diversions are most frequently caused by low cloud so the improved aids offered by ILS will mean a considerable reduction in service interruptions."

HIAL is also preparing to install ILS at Kirkwall Airport, at a cost of £1.89 million. The project is being jointly funded by Orkney Islands Council (£690,000), Orkney Enterprise (£100,000), the Scottish Executive through the Public Transport Fund (£600,000) and HIAL (£500,000).

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Enquiries: Alan Scott. Tel: 01667 462111

Issued: Tuesday, February 12, 2002