Loch Lomond Seaplanes

Loch Lomond Seaplanes (LLS) was established in 2003 by Captain David West* and over the next four years confronted all the legal, regulatory and operational challenges presented by introducing the UK's first seaplane company in over fifty years. LLS began operations in April 2004 with a new amphibious Cessna T206H, registration G-OLLS, and is licenced as an airline under the UK Civil Aviation Authority with Air Operator's Certificate 2252. Commercial operations initially included scenic tours of the magnificent Scottish West coast, charter flights, hotel/resort support and the very popular fly to lunch/dinner flights. In 2004, at the inception of commercial operations, LLS won, after a long and hard fought public battle, the right to operate from the newly formed Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. In the process LLS established the seaplane as an environmentally friendly vehicle for operation in Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) - work that is now used by seaplane operators worldwide. During the initial stages of the operation it became obvious that an aviation legal framework, which would allow the operation of large seaplanes on scheduled services, was not in place throughout the UK and Europe. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) was approached in 2004 and after a great deal of work, much of it done by LLS, the criteria for licensed water aerodromes was published in 2006. The framework, the world's first modern seaplane legislation, was now in place for the further development of the seaplane industry across the globe. LLS has now assisted several overseas governments with the establishment of new seaplane regulations. LLS took delivery of the UK's first Amphibious Cessna 208 Caravan, registration G-MDJE, in June 2007 - a one million pound investment. In August 2007, using the new CAA, LLS inspired, aerodrome legislation and having brought the maritime and city authorities on board, Mr Stewart Stevenson, MP, The Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change, opened the new £125,000 Loch Lomond Seaplanes' Glasgow City Centre Seaplane airport on the River Clyde and launched our first scheduled service to Oban Bay. Glasgow's City centre seaplane airport has an incredible approach to landing - the only one of its kind in the world. The opening was covered worldwide by international TV, radio and print media.