HOW TIME FLIES
The 1.7-mile service between Westray and Papa Westray is a lifeline to Orcadians which has become a tourist attraction
PILOT Colin McAllister trained in New Zealand and went on to fly five-hour flights above the Okavango delta in Botswana.
But for the past 14 years, the Glasgow-born Loganair captain has been flying journeys which are measured in seconds rather than hours.
Colin is one of the pilots who fly the shortest air trip in the world – the 1.7 miles between the Orkney islands of Westray and Papa Westray.
And this week, he is proud to be helping his airline celebrate the historic service’s 50th birthday.
The route opened up in 1967 to help bring closer commuting ties between six Orkney islands and the main town of Kirkwall.
While Colin and two other Orkneybased pilots all take turns hopping between the different islands, the Westray route is the most special.
It is certified by Guinness World Records as the shortest commercial scheduled flight in the world.
And its fame means tourists from as far afield as Japan and the US make pilgrimages to Scotland’s northern outposts to complete the £17 journey and claim their certificate.
The flight first made the record books in 1974 when now retired Captain Andy Alsop set a time of 69 seconds. He will be part of the airline’s milestone celebrations tomorrow.
Captain Stuart Linklater flew the short hop a record of more than 12,000 times, more than any other pilot, before he retired in 2013.
Stuart also set the record for the fastest flight between the islands – a wind-assisted 53 seconds.
But for those who live and work on Westray and Papa Westray, who make up most of the 4000 passengers a year, it’s more than a novelty puddle jump. It’s a lifeline and part of a daily routine.
Colin, 52, lives on Orkney with his wife and two kids. He said: “I joined Loganair in 2004 and have been based here since then.
“There’s no comparison with the longer flights I used to do – the most exciting parts of flying are the take-off and landing and the short flights cut out the boring bit.
“Pre-flight checks take much longer than the actual flight.
“It’s a very special service we operate – much more interesting than sitting on a flight to Malaga.
“It’s easy to forget that but people do enjoy it and it’s very important to the community. I love being part of all that.
“In the summer it’s mainly tourists but year-round it’s locals like teachers, the vet and the banker.
“You get to know everyone and get offers to come round for a cup of tea. It’s an important service and an iconic one. We’re all proud to be part of it.”
The air routes came about after the Scottish Office invited tenders in 1964 to operate an inter-island air service in Orkney.
Loganair won the rights and, after a grass runway upgrading programme, launched on September 27, 1967, between the main island and Sanday, North Ranaldsay and Eday.
The Westray-Papa Westray route opened weeks later, using eight-seater Britten-Norman Islander aircrafts, the same model in use today.
The flight has been a feature of 64-year-old Westray airport manager Linda Hagen’s life since the beginning.
Her father Jack Scott, a keen pilot, leased the land for the first airstrip on Westray, and then managed it.
Linda’s husband Stephen Hagen inherited the job from Jack and Linda took over seven years ago.
She said: “My family have been involved since 1967. My father owned the airfield and was the first airport manager so I’ve been around it most of my life.
“Loganair have been very supportive and very helpful.
“Back then there was a ferry, which took half an hour three times a week, so it was terrific when we got two daily flights. We have much more contact with the mainland now.
“There’s always people up here for the flights. The shortest scheduled flight in the world is very popular in the summer. Folk come from as far away as Japan to get their certificate.
“My father is no longer with us but he’d be very chuffed that we’re still involved. He was a private pilot and very enthusiastic about it all.”
While things have changed since the early days – the grass strips were all replaced in 1998 – the routes remain popular for business, commuters and tourists.
Conservationist and volunteer fireman Tim Dodman and his wife and four children, who live on Papa Westray, use the service regularly. He says for locals it’s like taking the bus.
Tim, 53, first came to the island in 1991 to research seabirds and fell in love with the place. He said: “We use it quite a lot, mainly to get to Kirkwall, and going via Westray.
“It’s a great little hop and a great service. When you use it a lot, you get used to it like the bus.
“Between here and Westray, you get great views of smaller islands with fields of birds.”
Loganair managing director Jonathan Hinkles paid tribute to everyone involved in the service.
He said: “The world’s shortest flight is a high-profile jewel in our network, famous across the world.
“However, despite its fame, it’s also an essential lifeline service for the people of Westray and Papa Westray, connecting the people in the two islands via a convenient air-link to Kirkwall on the Orkney mainland.
“Like the rest of the Orkney interisles service, it’s used by teachers, doctors, policemen, school pupils and many others, helping them to go about their daily routines with ease and simplicity.
“We’ve now been operating the service on behalf of Orkney Islands Council for five decades, and reaching the half-century milestone is a testa-ment to the hard work of the Loganair and council teams past and present.”
It’s a great little hop and a great service. When you use it a lot, it’s like getting the bus TIM DODMAN