Water touchdowns are key to the private charter business expansion plans of Loch Lomond Seaplanes. "We will continue to expand the corporate side of our business with our nine seat Cessna 208," says md David West. "We have been doing charter for the last four years with our amphibious Cessna 206. The aircraft is used for golf charters to five star courses on the islands such as Machrie, as well as dropping clients at five star loch-side restaurants and hotels. We also drop clients at their yachts and at marinas."

Capt. West points out that seaplanes have environmental benefits. "There are no contrails, no spent fuel in the high atmosphere, no airport to build - just the use of the water and an existing floating pontoon. If we take just three passengers off the road our flights are carbon neutral."

In Canada and Alaska small float planes are used almost like buses serving remote coastal communities, and in Scotland, which has 6,200 miles of coastline with more than 700 islands and 560 large fresh water lochs, the possibilities of replicating such a service are substantial, he adds.

Loch Lomond Seaplanes operates regular daily flights to destinations such as Oban and Tobermory.