The famous beach airport at Barra – the only airport in the world that is washed by the tide twice a day – is to host a unique event this month which will provide an early season boost for the island’s tourism industry.

Over 40 small private aircraft will set course for the island on Friday and Saturday, April 19 and 20, for the ‘Barra Fly In’. They will take part in a weekend of tours and festivities and depart on the Sunday.

Three aircraft are expected from the continent – two from Holland and one from Belgium – but most will fly in from airfields around the UK, from Aberdeen in the north to Guernsey and Cornwall in the south. Pilots and passengers are expected to total over 100, injecting an estimated £15,000 into the local economy.

The ‘Barra Fly In’ is the brainchild of Peter Brown, who runs the café at Barra Airport. He is being assisted by community representatives and organisations and supported by the airport operators, Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL).

The event arose from research into how other island communities marketed themselves to visitors. Mr Brown discovered that Alderney, with a population of 400, staged an annual fly in to its grass airstrip which attracted 150 private aircraft. Pilots and passengers took up all the accommodation available on the island.

"I was pretty sure that if Alderney could stimulate such interest from private fliers then Barra, with its unique beach airport, could do the same," said Mr Brown. "So far, we’ve attracted 43 aircraft to this first Barra fly in by promoting it in flying magazines. That’s a good start. Hopefully, it can develop to match the scale of the Alderney event, bringing even more valuable business to the island."

Hugh MacNeil, who is helping to organise the event, said: "There’s a buzz about the island as the community looks forward to the fly in. People have really taken to the idea."

HIAL regional manager Roy Cartledge said: "Peter has developed a really great idea for Barra. We’ve had fly ins to some of our other airports in the past, but nothing quite on this scale. And this is certainly a first for Barra.

"The response from private pilots is an indication of the very special appeal of Barra and its beach airport. Like Peter, we feel the fly in has the potential to develop into an important annual event for the island."

Pilots and their passengers are expected to be joined on Saturday, April 20, by a considerable proportion of Barra’s 1,200-strong population at the airport’s annual open day, which HIAL has organised to coincide with the fly in.

Features of the open day will include static displays by the airport fire service and Loganair’s Twin Otter aircraft which operates the scheduled services to the island from Glasgow and Benbecula. Stalls will promote and sell local produce – from cockles to lamb, home baking to locally-made perfume.

Guided tours of Barra and Vatersay are being laid on for the visitors on each of the three days, together with a boat trip to the islands south of Barra on the Sunday. A traditional ceilidh, organised in aid of local charities by Cobhair Bharraigh, will be held on the Saturday night.

Flight information for pilots wishing to participate in this event can be found under the Pilot/Airline Info section on this website.

>>> ends

So far, 43 private pilots have indicated their intention to participate in the Barra Fly In, originating from: Scotland – Edinburgh, Kinross, Renfrewshire, Aberdeen, Ayrshire, Banchory; England – Guernsey, Cornwall, Devon, Elstree, Liverpool, Hampshire, Somerset, Suffolk, Essex, Sussex, Northumberland, Flintshire, Bedfordshire, Kent, Cheshire, Hertfordshire, Exeter, Bath, Buckinghamshire, Newcastle, Hook; The Continent – Holland and Belgium.

Issued: Thursday, April 11, 2002