Every year, close to 100,000 Irish tourists visit the Algarve coastline of southern Portugal. Their gateway is Faro Airport, which had 63,000 movements in 2024 – for comparison, this is about 27% of Dublin’s number. Ryanair and EasyJet are major users. Dublin is the second busiest route, after Gatwick. For aviation buffs, the clear sunlight can produce sparkling photos, but heat haze can show in longer shots.
But there are other places in the Algarve of aviation interest. Northwest of Faro, the town of Loule has a municipal heliport, next to the fire station, “Bombeiros”. On a recent visit, I noted a Squirrel AS350 of The Portuguese Civil Protection Agency and a H145 air ambulance, 9H-GMB owned by Air Med of Malta, the same firm that operates for the HSE from Rathcool, Co. Cork.
The municipal airport at Alvor near Portimao has an 875m asphalt runway used for general aviation, pleasure flights, and parachuting. Two Spanish-registered Air Tractor AT802 fire attack planes on massive amphibious floats are currently based there. For parachuting, two firms provide a range of options, including tandem jumps for novices and video coverage of the jump. Skydive Seven uses a Pilatus Porter, D-FOGO, while Skydive Algarve has a Cessna 208 Caravan, D-FNDA.
Skydive Seven offers drops from up to 15,000ft, which allows 70 seconds of freefall! Parachutes are opened at 5,000ft for a serene final descent. Flights are preceded by a 15-minute safety briefing. Day trips from Lisbon by air are also available.
Further west, Lagos Aerodrome offers more gentle experiences. Fly365 Algarve operates a microlight flying school using Ikarus C42, which are also available for aerial sightseeing. Other options include rides in a Pegasus Quantum 912 flexwing weight-controlled microlight with tandem seats. Gyrocopter Algarve offers sightseeing in an MTO Sport, again with tandem seats. In both the Quantum and Autogyro, the passenger is in the open air, enabling a magnificent all-round view.
All the above are within an hour’s drive from Faro and can be fitted into a stay along the Algarve’s coastline, which enjoys long hours of clear skies for much of the year.
