RNAS Fearn Air Base

The primary reason for closure was the end of World War II and the subsequent large-scale demobilization of the British military. As a dedicated training facility, its purpose became redundant with the drastically reduced need for new torpedo bomber aircrews in the peacetime Royal Navy. The base was deemed surplus to requirements.

The site is now the Fearn Airfield Industrial Estate, a significant commercial and industrial hub for the Easter Ross area. While the original runway layout is still clearly visible from the air, the land has been extensively repurposed. Key current uses include:
- A large timber processing and manufacturing plant operated by Balcas.
- Numerous smaller industrial units and workshops housed in original airfield buildings.
- The Glenmorangie Company uses several of the original, well-built hangars and warehouses for maturing its single malt whisky.
- Parts of the former airfield have been returned to agricultural use for grazing and farming.
- A memorial dedicated to the personnel who served at HMS Owl is located near the site.

RNAS Fearn, also known as HMS Owl, was a crucial Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm training base during World War II. Commissioned on August 1, 1942, its main purpose was to serve as the primary Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance School. It was responsible for training entire squadrons of aircrews to operate from aircraft carriers. Operations primarily involved torpedo drop training in the nearby Dornoch Firth and tactical reconnaissance exercises. Key aircraft that operated from Fearn included the Fairey Swordfish, Fairey Albacore, and most notably, the Fairey Barracuda, for which it was the main training base. The station was a complete, self-contained unit with four runways, numerous hangars, technical facilities, and accommodation for over 2,500 personnel. Its contribution was vital to supplying skilled crews for the war effort, particularly for carrier operations in the Atlantic and Pacific theatres.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening RNAS Fearn as a functioning airport. The site has been heavily redeveloped with significant industrial infrastructure, including large factory buildings, built directly on the former runways and taxiways. The extensive and long-term industrial and agricultural use of the land makes any potential conversion back to an aviation facility economically and logistically infeasible.