ON APPROACH by markp

ON APPROACH

The flight this plane is just about to complete is in the Guinness Book of Records as the Worlds Shortest Scheduled Flight.
It is from Papa Westray to nearby Westray, in the Orkneys. The record is 52 seconds from take off to landing !!
We were standing at the airstrip on Westray, by its little office. We had watched the plane land on Papa Westray, saw it taxi over to the even smaller office on Papa.It is that little shed on the top of the island, on the very far left of the image.

Could not see if anyone got on or off, and then it took off again. We watched the entire journey over to Westray where we were standing. Two passengers got off, and two more got on, and it took off again, heading to Kirkwall.

The next day, over on Papa Westray, we got talking to a young lady, who for several years used the plane to get to school and back, every day.

Here is a link of it safely down.......

https://365project.org/markp/SCOTLAND/06-06-2023
I wonder why they don't just run a ferry.
June 26th, 2023  
@helenhall They do. There is a little pedestrian and cyclist ferry between Papa and Westray, but it can’t always sail. Think there’s only around 50 people live on Papa. Then you might need to get off Westray, summertime two ferries a day back to Kirkwall, cars and lorries, Winter I am sure it’s one a day ( if they can sail).
There is a ferry Sat / Tues summer just Sat in winter ( again weather permitting) via North Ronaldsway to Papa and back to Kirkwall. This is not a roll on / roll off one, vehicles need to be chained up, and winched on and off the vessels. You have seen the Western Isles, and the Cal Mac experience, welcome to Orkney Ferries !!
I like them. It’s council run and the timetables can be a nightmare to navigate, but as I am sure somebody else says, they are big enough to cope, but small enough to care.
The planes carry the Mail, papers and important stuff, and people back and to doctors and hospitals etc.
All the Northern Orkney Isles get regular daily flights.

Question for you. Don’t google it. Where is LONDON Airport ?????
June 27th, 2023  
@markp Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Docklands. Oh, and Stanstead. Which one is THE London airport? Only the small docklands airport is anywhere near london really.
June 27th, 2023  
It’s an interesting quiz question. London airport is on Eday in the Orkneys. It’s next to London Bay. I’ve got a photo somewhere of my bike leaning against the sign.
June 27th, 2023  
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