Fearn
FEARN: Military aerodrome, Royal Naval Air Station
(HMS OWL 1948: Books of HMS FULMAR)
Note: These two pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©
Note: It appears that the RAF No.8 Advanced Flying Training School were based here. But they must have felt very out-numbered by their Fleet Air Arm compatriots.
It now seems that the following Naval Air Squadrons had a presence here: 708, 714, 717, 747, 812, 814, 815, 816, 817, 818, 819, 821, 822, and wait for it, 823, 824, 825, 826, 828, 837, 841, 847 and 860 as well. Plus 738B Flight. An astonishing list which, I suspect, cannot be rivalled elsewhere?
Please see the EASTER entry.
Military users: WW2: RN Training school
Operated by: 1980s/1990s: Mr S T Patterson
2000: Mrs D Sutherland
Location: W of B9166, NW of Shandwick, 8nm NE of Invergordon
Period of operation: Military: 1941 to 1946 Civil: 1970s & 1980s and also into the 2000s
Runways: WW2: 17/35 1079x46 hard 05/23 1349x46 hard
11/29 1152x46 hard
1990/2000: 11/29 1097x46 hard
NOTES:
In the March 2018 issue of Light Aviation magazine, it was mentioned that the newly formed Highland Strut of the PFA (Popular Flying Association) held their first Fly-In during 1973.
FEARN was still being used privately in 2010. Indeed, one of the first arrivals at the LAA Rally at SYWELL in 2010 was the FRED type G-ORAS piloted by Alister Sutherland who had flown this very basic aircraft from FEARN taking two days with eight hours flying time in four two- hour legs.
At the 2011 LAA Rally at SYWELL Melvaig Mackenzie and Billy Grant arrived with the Piper Super Cub G-BKET.
In October 2017 I was kindly contacted by Mr David M Edes who informed me that the site had changed hands and was no longer suitable for use as an airfield.
What I think is interesting, is looking at the 2005 Google Earth picture above. Appearances can be deceptive of course, but by 2005 it does look as if only the eastern part of runway 11/29 was being used - around 460 metres or so? The western section now looking very rough.
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