Leading brewer Scottish & Newcastle is currently on the lookout for an aircraft which will offer greater range and speed than its Citation Ultra. Company pilot Iain Tulloch told EBAN: “The Ultra has done a very good job for us, but as our business expands we’re taking a careful look at what’s on the market. Although it won’t be a dramatic upgrade, we do need a little more range and speed.”

The company uses its Ultra solely for its own corporate use. “The aircraft flies around seven hundred hours a year, so we don’t really have any time to charter. There are a total of 35 authorised users, who can usually book the aircraft through Execair on a first come first served basis. It can carry seven passengers, but on average flies between three and four.

“We operate out of Edinburgh to our subsidiaries, which are located in countries such as France, Finland and Russia – where we have a joint venture with Carlsberg. The aircraft is mainly called upon for these international operations, rather than domestic flights,” said Tulloch.

Prior to the Ultra, Scottish & Newcastle owned a Citation II. “This was also an excellent aircraft and we operated it for around seven years. It only lacked the range and speed we later needed, but made the conversion up to the Ultra very easy,” he added.

The company aims to stick with operating just one aircraft, rather than encouraging the complications which come with a fleet. Said Tulloch: “I don’t think there would be any ambition to expand the flying staff, so if we did need more capacity we would look at one of the charter providers. Nevertheless, our chairman has often said that this aircraft is vital because of the breadth of our operations and because Edinburgh is not a major airline hub.”

The pilot has now been with Scottish & Newcastle for 15 years. “I much prefer flying for a corporate flight department. I know everyone I carry and the flexibility I offer them is much appreciated. Equally the way we’re treated is excellent. Our business (brewing) is a convivial one, so if you’re prepared to be flexible and take on more things than just flying an aircraft, it’s very rewarding,” he said.