INVERNESS AIRPORT
Stations
Officer in Charge
? to ? ?
Appliances
Fire 1 Fire 2 Fire 3 ESV Fire Command 1 Fire Command 2 ? Ops 1 Ops2
1995 M551VST M552VST D310FDF F791UDG SY07SXU SY54OZN
2003 M551VST M552VST
D310FDF ? SX52CZP
P817FAS P816FAS
2004 M551VST
M552VST
J39FJS
?
SX52CZP
P817FAS
P816FAS
2010 SY10BFU SY10BFV
J39FJS
SY08SCV
SY08SGZ
D310FDF Gloster Saro/Protector MKI 4x4 RIV
F791UDG Gloster Saro Protector MKI 4x4 CrT
J39FJS Simon Gloster Saro Protector MKII 6x6 CrT
M551VST Simon Gloster Saro Protector MKII 6x6 CrT
M552VST Simon Gloster Saro Protector MKII 6x6 CrT
P816FAS Land Rover 110 GPV
P817FAS Land Rover 110 GPV
SX52CZP Land Rover 110 GPV
SY54OZN Mitsubishi Spacestar Ops 2
SY07SXU
Mitsubishi L200 work pickup
Ops 1
SY08SCV
Mitsubishi L200 work pickup
FC1
SY08SGZ
Mitsubishi L200 work pickup
FC2
SY10BFU
Sides VMA 126 CrT
SY10BFV Sides
VMA 126 CrT
The Sides VMA126 carries 10,000L of water, 1,600L FFFP, 400L training foam 3, 100KG BCF and 2 x 125Kg Dry Powder.
Notes
1998 Highlands & Islands Airports Fire Service
HISTORY OF INVERNESS AIRPORT
Original Inverness Airport sited on Longman airstrip on the outskirts of Inverness, now an industrial estate. Some of the original hangars can still be seen. This aerodrome was issued with an operating licence by the then Ministry in January 1933, the licence costing £1 .5s.0p. Licences were also issued for Thurso, Wick and Kirkwall at this time enabling Capt. Freeson to inaugurate the mail service between Inverness and the Orkney. The route would include stops at Thurso and Wick. As Capt. Freeson was concerned about the likelihood of sea fog he surveyed an alternative landing site at Culloden, this was subsequently used as a satellite airfield during the 1939-45 war.
Civil operations continued from this site until the 28th of September 1939 when RAF informed the then Inverness Town Council of its intention to requisition the airfield. The first signs of RAF flying activity occurred in midsummer 1940 when ‘A’ Flight of 614 squadron detached to Inverness with Lysanders and Blackburn Roc dive-bombers. The airfield continued under RAF occupation until it was de-requisitioned in 1945 although there were a limited (less than 10) aircraft present until mid 1946. On 31 August 1947 the last civil movement occurred at Longman and from now on all civil operations were based on Dalcross.
DALCROSS AERODROME (Now Inverness Airport)
Inverness airport was formerly farmland, the farmhouse Kerrogair is to the North of Air BP’s fuel terminal. The Earl of Moray owned the land. Capt. Freeson was looking to move further out of Inverness to live and overflying the area decided to land and have a closer look of the farmhouse. The date is record as 22 June 1937, a fine sunny day and it was in his red and silver Gypsy Moth G AAWO whilst instructing a pupil that Capt. Freeson decided to land.
At the outbreak of war Capt. Freeson was resident in Kerrogair house and had advertised to the Air Ministry that he was regularly flying from Dalcross with Gypsy Moth G AAWO and Dragon G ACIT. Capt. Freeson advised the Ministry that the site should be developed into an RAF aerodrome — his advise to Ministry was altruistic as he intended to use the site for a civil operation on the back of the Air Ministry development. The Air Ministry accepted Capt. Freeson’s advice; however, they then immediately evicted him from Kerrogair house. Development of the site commenced in 1940. The airfield was lying in a hollow and subsequently became very muddy whilst it remained a grass strip. The first users were Lysander aircraft from 614 squadron detailed on anti invasion patrols. The winter of 1940/41 was so wet that the construction of three hard runways began, the layout of the runways was very unusual as they all intersected at the centre of each runway. Prior to completion No2 Air Gunnery School was installed in 5 July 1941. Shortly after 19 Operational Training Unit with Whitley bombers arrived and began using the runways for night training in August 1941. Autumn 1941 saw Oxfords from RAF Shawbury arrive at Inverness, when conditions on the airfield became too muddy aircraft were relocated to Brackla, Longman or Elgin airfields. In 1942 Miles Martinet and Westland Lysander, Boulton Paul Defiants and Avro Tutor aircraft were resident, along with a detachment of Oxford aircraft from No2 Flying Training School at Montrose. In autumn of 1942 Dalcross was reformed into 19 Flying Training Unit and more Airspeed Oxfords were acquired throughout the winter of 1942/43.
The first scheduled aircraft movement recorded was in February 19 1942 when Henry Vallance flying a Scottish Airways DH Rapide from Kirkwall found both Longman and Culloden airfields fogbound and landed at Daicross in the dark.
During the month of August 1947 civil operations were moved to Daicross, British European Airways who had taken over Scottish Airways transferred the entire operation from Longman. The first terminal building was originally the guardroom and had been relocated near to the new (present) side entrance close to the hangar area. BEA used Ju 52 airliners at Dalcross; DOUGLAS C47 Dakota’s later replaced these. At the time of the Korean crisis the RAF returned to Dalcross when No8 Flying Training School returned, at times there were as many as 60 Oxfords at Dalcross. The RAF remained at Dalcross until November 1953.
During August 1963 the airfield was used for sequences of the film 633 squadron with 6 De Havilland Mosquitos and a Mitchell bomber which acted as camera aircraft and a Brantly helicopter.
1974 saw operations transferred temporarily to Kinloss to allow the main runway to be resurfaced and extended, Jet services commenced in April 1975. Early in 1998 work commenced on a new terminal building, this was the first terminal to be funded under a Public Finance Initiative. On completion of the terminal the old terminal building was demolished and the area formerly occupied by the old terminal was landscaped. In July/August 1999 the runway was resurfaced, the task being undertaken between 2230 hours and 0530 in the morning with the runway returned to full operational use each morning. There were also extensive electrical re-cabling works and in early 2000 the North Apron had lighting pylons installed.
Ownership of the airports have change a number of times through the years, although the government remained the owner ultimately as titles of ministries responsible for overseeing aviation within the UK changed then the nominal owner changed. In 1972 ownership was transferred to the Civil Aviation Authority, in 1985 Highlands and Islands Airports were formed. This was a wholly owned subsidiary of the CAA until 1995 when owner ship was transferred to Scottish Office. In 1999 ownership was once again transferred to the newly formed Scottish Executive.
Highlands and Islands Airports Limited operate 10 airfields in Scotland, they are
Sumburgh in Shetland
Kirkwall, Orkney
Wick
Inverness
Stornoway, Isle of Lewis
Balivannich, Isle of Benbecula
Barra
Tiree
Islay
Campbeltown
Inverness Rescue and Firefighting Service comprises: -
2 x Protector C3 6x6. Both delivered August/September 1994, 1 x Protector Mkl 4x4 delivered 1985
Both 6x6 have Detroit Diesel 8V92TA engines producing 585 BHP. Each carries 10,000 litres of water and 1,200 litres of FFFP foam concentrate in 3% solution. Performance 0 to 50 MPH in 32 seconds.
Monitor discharge: Dual output of 4,500/2,250 at 14 bar, 47 to 61 metres throw with expansion ratio of 7:1 for finished foam.
Protector 4x4 — Detroit Diesel 8V92TA, producing 540 BHP. Carries 6,300 litres water and 385 litres of FFFP foam concentrate in 3% solution. Performance 0— 50 MPH in 21 seconds.
Monitor discharge: Dual output monitor 3,198/1,589 LPM at 14 bar, 47 to 61 metre throw with expansion ration of 7:1 for finished foam
In addition fire service have 3 Land Rovers, Ops 1, Ops 2 and Ops 3. These are used for a variety of tasks including carrying rescue equipment (Ops 3) if one of Protectors off run for pre planned maintenance. Ops 2 used for runway inspections, towing mu meter for friction testing and other fire service duties. Ops Senior Airport Fire Officer as uses 1 command vehicle and management vehicle.
Current staff compliment consists of:
1 x Asst Divisional Officer (SAFO)
2 x Station Officer
4 x Sub Officer
4 x Leading Firefighter
14 x Firefighter
Two shift system in operation covering from 0600 to 2215 seven days a week.
(Typed from a document of unknown origin and date.)
If you know of any mistakes in this or have any additional information please let me know.