Departure
95%
vs 95%
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Shannon Airport (EINN) is Ireland's principal transatlantic gateway, set on the north shore of the Shannon Estuary roughly halfway between Ennis and Limerick in County Clare. It offers a single very long, ILS-equipped runway and round-the-clock operations, making it a notable and historically rich destination for simulator pilots flying long-haul or general aviation types into the west of Ireland.
Shannon Airport lies in County Clare on the west coast of Ireland, adjacent to the Shannon Estuary, and has long been associated with transatlantic aviation thanks to its position as one of the most westerly international airports in Europe. It is operated by the Shannon Airport Group and today ranks as Ireland's second-largest long-haul airport. For a simulator pilot, its combination of an exceptionally long runway, historic transatlantic pedigree and 24-hour unrestricted operations make it an engaging and versatile destination for both airliner and general aviation flights.
The airport sits beside the Shannon Estuary, roughly midway between the towns of Ennis and Limerick. One half of Shanwick Oceanic Control, which handles air traffic across the north-eastern quadrant of the North Atlantic, is based close to the airport at nearby Ballygirreen, underlining Shannon's continuing role as a key waypoint for transatlantic traffic.
Shannon has a single physical runway, 06/24, of hard surface construction and lit, equipped with ILS on both approach directions. The 06 threshold gives a landing distance of approximately 10,475 feet, while the reciprocal 24 threshold gives approximately 10,005 feet; this is the longest runway in Ireland.
Pilots can expect to work Shannon Approach on 120.2 MHz, with the ATIS broadcast on 130.95 MHz. On the ground, Shannon Ground operates on 121.8 MHz and Shannon Tower on 118.7 MHz. Both runway directions are served by ILS.
The airport's position on the Shannon Estuary, with Ennis to the north-east and Limerick to the south-east, provides useful orientation for a VFR approach along the west coast of Ireland.
Shannon's origins lie in the late 1930s, when the Irish government confirmed development of a transatlantic airport at Rineanna to complement the flying boat terminal at nearby Foynes on the Shannon Estuary. Drainage of the boggy site began in October 1936, and the first commercial flight, a SABENA Savoia-Marchetti S.73 from Brussels via Croydon, used the airfield in July 1939. By 1942 a serviceable airport had been established and named Shannon Airport, with BOAC starting scheduled service to Bristol that February and Aer Lingus beginning Dublin service in August of the same year. As the Second World War ended, the runways were extended to permit transatlantic departures, and on 16 September 1945 a Pan Am DC-4 completed the first transatlantic proving flight, landing at Shannon from Gander. The first scheduled transatlantic commercial service using a land plane followed on 24 October 1945, an American Overseas Airlines DC-4 named Flagship New England on the New York-Gander-Shannon-London route. Trans World Airlines began New York-Paris service via Gander and Shannon in February 1946, and Aerlinte Eireann started Dublin-New York service via Shannon in April 1958. In 1947 the Customs Free Airport Act made Shannon the world's first duty-free airport, an initiative promoted by Brendan O'Regan that became a model for duty-free facilities worldwide. Passenger growth through the 1960s and the arrival of the Boeing 747 led to a new terminal opening in May 1971. From September 1975 Aeroflot operated through Shannon as a refuelling stop between the Soviet Union and destinations such as Cuba and Angola, developing into a substantial hub by the mid-1990s with flights to New York, Chicago, Washington, Miami and Havana, mostly using Ilyushin Il-62 aircraft; this operation was briefly suspended in 1983 following the shooting down of Korean Air Lines Flight 007. In September 1994 Shannon was the scene of the well-known 'circling over Shannon' diplomatic incident involving Russian president Boris Yeltsin. The airport's exceptionally long runway also saw it designated as an alternative landing site for the Space Shuttle.
Shannon continues to operate as Ireland's second-largest long-haul airport and the main air gateway for the west of Ireland, run by the Shannon Airport Group. It offers 24-hour unrestricted operations with no slots or curfews, and its runway remains the longest in the country, a legacy of its transatlantic heritage.
