Kirkwall Airport is the main airport serving Orkney in Scotland. It is located 2.5 NM southeast of Kirkwall and is owned by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited. The airport is used by Loganair.

History

Foundation

The airport was built and commissioned in 1940 as Royal Air Force Grimsetter, or simply RAF Grimsetter, for the defence of the Scapa Flow naval base. In 1943, the Royal Navy took over the airbase and it was known as Royal Naval Air Station Grimsetter, commonly referred to as RNAS Grimsetter, later commissioned as HMS Robin and used by the Fleet Air Arm. Control passed in 1948 to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and in 1986 to Highlands and Islands Airports.

Royal Air Force

The following RAF units were here at some point: • No. 129 Squadron RAF (1942–43) • No. 132 Squadron RAF (1942) • No. 234 Squadron RAF (1943) • No. 2704 Squadron RAF Regiment • No. 2766 Squadron RAF Regiment

Royal Navy

On 6 July 1943, RAF Grimsetter was transferred on loan to the Admiralty and known as Royal Naval Air Station Grimsetter, (RNAS Grimsetter). On 15 August, it was commissioned as HMS Robin, as a satellite to RNAS Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk), located 1 mile to the north west of Kirkwall. The following Fleet Air Arm units were here at some point: • 800 Naval Air Squadron • 801 Naval Air Squadron • 807 Naval Air Squadron • 824 Naval Air Squadron • 825 Naval Air Squadron • 825X Naval Air Squadron • 826 Naval Air Squadron • 841 Naval Air Squadron • 842 Naval Air Squadron • 846 Naval Air Squadron • 848 Naval Air Squadron • 849 Naval Air Squadron • 880 Naval Air Squadron • 881 Naval Air Squadron • 882 Naval Air Squadron • 884 Naval Air Squadron • 887 Naval Air Squadron • 894 Naval Air Squadron • 899 Naval Air Squadron • 1770 Naval Air Squadron • 1834 Naval Air Squadron • 1840 Naval Air Squadron

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

The following airlines operate regular scheduled flights to and from Kirkwall:

Cargo

Statistics and traffic

Annual traffic statistics

Busiest routes

Accidents and incidents

Green energy

Hydrogen production by electrolysis of water was well under way in late 2020 in Orkney, where clean energy sources (wind, waves, tides) were generating excess electricity that could be used to produce hydrogen gas (H2). A plan was under way at Kirkwall Airport to add a hydrogen combustion engine system to the heating system in order to reduce the significant emissions that were created with older technology that heated buildings and water. This was part of the plan formulated by the Scottish government for the Highlands and Islands "to become the world's first net zero aviation region by 2040".

Artwork

The airport is notable for the signage on the terminal roof written in runes. The symbols spell the word 'Krimsitir' or 'Grimsetter', the name of the bay next to which the airfield is located, which was similarly the name of the former RAF base.

Citations