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Benbecula (Balivanich)

Major

Did you know?

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Two of Benbecula’s hangars were moved to Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands in 1949 and resided there as a noted local landmark for many years afterwards.

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Also known as: Balivanich Aerodrome / Balivanich Airport / Benbecula Aerodrome / Benbecula Airport / RAF Benbecula / RAF Station, Benbecula
County: Western Isles
Current Status: Aviation
Date: Opened March 1936
Current Use: Active
Used By: RAF / RAF (Polish) / Civil / RAAF
Landing Surface Types: Unpaved, later paved
Aircraft Roles: Airliner (main role) / Air-sea rescue / General aviation / Maritime patrol (main role) / Naval aviation

The following organisations are either based at, use and/or have at least potentially significant connections with the airfield (as at 01/07/2013):

  • An Radio
  • Benbecula Community Council
  • Benbecula Historical Society
  • Car Hire Hebrides
  • Custom Prints
  • Highlands and Islands Airports Limited - operator
  • QinetiQ - Hebrides
  • Verisimilitude 

Main unit(s) present:

  • No 36 Sqn
  • No 179 Sqn
  • No 206 Sqn
  • No 220 Sqn
  • No 279 Sqn
  • No 280 Sqn
  • No 304 Sqn
  • No 455 Sqn
  • No 814 Sqn
  • No 819 Sqn
  • No 838 Sqn
  • No 842 Sqn
  • No 2841 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • BEA
  • British Airways
  • Flybe
  • Greylag GC
  • Loganair
  • Northern and Scottish Airways
  • Scottish Airways
001geograph-483082-by-Greg-Morss.jpg

The runway at Benbecula, 1 July 2007.

002geograph-2579334-by-Colin-Smith.jpg

The runway at Benbecula, 20 July 2011.

003geograph-3076994-by-David-Martin.jpg

The control tower at Benbecula, 31 July 2012.

Benbecula's airfield runway is extended, 1957. Courtesy of British Pathé

Footage of Benbecula in the 1980s. Courtesy of HuntleyFilmArchives

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