If you live there, this isn’t some fun experience, it’s a necessity. The hop ties the tiny community of Papa Westray to the rest of Orkney for basic necessities like doctors, schools, government offices, and local businesses. You’ll regularly see teachers, researchers, medical professionals, and everyday locals commuting on it. Plus, when rough seas force the ferries to cancel, this plane is the only reliable way across.
On the other side, it’s a massive tourist magnet. Hardcore aviation enthusiasts (often called avgeeks) fly in from all over the planet just to say they’ve done it and cross it off their bucket lists. Usually, these tourists turn the flight into a day trip, spending an afternoon exploring Papa Westray before heading back to the Orkney mainland.
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