Air Charter Iceland operates a variety of piston twin-engined aircraft for tourist and air taxi flights, as well as a flying school. Speaking with Isleifur Ottesen, head of the company, EBAN sought insight into life for the smaller operator amongst the icicles. \rIt appears that tourist flights comprise the bulk of the company's work, particularly during the summer months, when a growing number of sightseers come to Iceland to view the volcanoes and glaciers for which the frosty island is famous. Eight different tours are offered by Ottesen and his pilots, taking in some of the more dramatic landscapes. \rDuring the interminable winter, business reverts mainly to air taxi within Iceland, and some flights over to the UK and Norway for cargo and spare parts. Air ambulance and cargo missions are occasionally undertaken. \rAir Charter Iceland now have one Cessna 402 C; Ottesen said: "I used to own three, but competition in the Icelandic "free skies" forced me to concentrate on my flying school, and I had some problem with pilots: It was hard to keep them in a smaller company when they had good opportunities for the bigger airlines. That has been the reason I have been forced into the flying school business." Ottesen's tone of voice, with its easy-going Icelandic lilt, belied the heat of his words. "We have a separate department now for training pilots on small twins before they move on to airliners with Iceland Air." Ottesen is considering buying a Cessna 404 at the moment; Air Charter Iceland also owns a PA68, one Cessna 310 and one Cessna 210, plus smaller aircraft for the flying school: Ten aircraft in total.\r"Things have changed drastically," said Ottesen. "It looks like I am the only air taxi operator in Iceland. Air Iceland operates mainly scheduled flights within Iceland and Greenland. They operate commercial aeroplanes like the Fokker 50. Occasionally when they have availability they do a limited air taxi."\r"The economy in Iceland has been doing very well, and I think hopefully we will add one small jet to our fleet. Something small, around 1,500 miles in range. We are ready and we are just checking out the market. We tried once before, but with a lousy result. We have government competition now in Iceland, which is making things harder for us. With their Beech 200, they have been giving us a little unfair competition. It is unfair when you have a government-operated aircraft; ministers and members of the department fly it. This was done three or four years ago. I speak very freely about that. I believe that without that competition it would be easy for us to operate a jet.\r"The longest trip in Iceland is 250 miles, so jet operation is of marginal viability. Our airports used to be gravel, and have only recently been paved. They are short and narrow. So, we need something with a good stall capability," Ottesen mused. "But Iceland is very well connected to the rest of Europe, and we may get a market from this." \rOttesen started flying for pleasure. "I still try to, but do not get much chance." Air Charter Iceland employs six pilots on fixed contracts, plus some freelance pilots. All flying school instructors are freelance.