The Air Navigation Act of 1920 encouraged the construction of municipal airports. By 1929, four of these were in existence and by 1936, twenty-seven, including Perth had been completed. In the early 1930s, Thomas Hunter, Lord Mayor of Perth suggested constructing an aerodrome at Perth but the idea received little support. It wasn’t until 1935, when the Government announced the expansion of the RAF, that the idea was resurrected by Sir John Ure Primrose. A site, 400 feet above sea level, was selected near Scone and the ground was acquired. Work proceeded quickly and within six weeks, fifty acres were cleared.

Flying training for RAF pilots began from the field in January 1936 where they flew predominantly DeHavilland Tiger Moths, with 33 pupils undergoing flight training. In April 1936, additional land was purchased and the total area was expanded well beyond the original 277 acres. The “runway” lengths were 1,000 and 1,400 yards – “ample for the fastest modern airliners”.

Immediately after the start of World War II, researchers working on aircraft-mounted radars were stationed at Scone for a brief period, fitting their radar systems to various aircraft. The site was unsuitable for such work, and the team moved to a new site in Wales in November. During the war, 309[4] and 666 Squadrons from the Royal Air Force used the aerodrome, then known as RAF (Royal Air Force) Scone.

 

After the war a direction-finding tower was installed and Perth was to enjoy four daily air services, two to Glasgow and two to Inverness. Air Work Services purchased the aerodrome in 1950 and developed the facilities as an international air training college with tarmac surfaced runways being developed in 1969. Bristow Helicopters bought the property in 1990 and ran the site’s flying training college – the world’s oldest.