Airfield Lighting: Lighting up the Highlands

Island airports are notorious for hazardous terrain. Mark Stuart, Director of Operations at HIAL, provides an insight into the unique problem of aeronautical ground lighting in the Scottish Highlands and Islands.

Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL), a publicly owned airport operator accountable to Scottish Ministers, is responsible for the safe and efficient operation of 11 regional airports across Scotland. In 2012/13, the group handled 1.3 million passengers, an increase of 3.1 per cent on the previous year. The busiest airport in the group, Inverness, handled more than 611,000 passengers, an increase of 0.6 per cent.

In addition to operating Inverness Airport, the gateway to one of Scotland’s fastest growing cities, HIAL is responsible for ensuring that lifeline links are maintained through the operation of airports in remote locations across the Scottish Highlands and Islands – from Campbeltown in Argyll to Wick John O’Groats, the most northerly airport on the UK mainland, and the island airports of Stornoway, Benbecula, Kirkwall and Sumburgh, as well as the world famous beach landing strip at Barra in the Western Isles. HIAL also operates Dundee Airport at Scotland’s fourth largest city.

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