A new business offering air tours over the Island is about to take flight after almost a year of planning.

A four-seat, jet fuel-powered Cessna 172 aeroplane is sitting at the airport poised for take-off thanks to a joint venture between Blue Sky Flights and Longtail Aviations.

Businessman John Tomlinson of Blue Sky Flights has spent the best part of a year cutting through red tape gaining proper authorisation to bring the aircraft to the Island for commercial use.

Not only will residents and tourists be able to take specialised tours, but trained pilots will be able to hire the craft privately and pilots-in-training will be able to use it to get flight hours under their belts.

The Bermuda Tourism Authority is supporting and marketing the venture and the first flights are “imminent”.

Mr Tomlinson told The Royal Gazette: “The Cessna is a classic trainer aircraft and it is excellent for sightseeing because it has wings that are above the cockpit. It really is the Volkswagen of the skies.

“It is a smooth, controlled ride and allows you to have an experience that will live with you for the rest of your life.

“It will be available for hire during the America’s Cup for people to get a different perspective of the sailing. We will have different tours tailored to people’s interests such as a ship wreck tour, fort tour and golf course tour and we expect whale watching will be very successful.

“The vibration in the cabin is much reduced and it affords the ability to go low and slow in order to appreciate the magnificence of Bermuda. Over land, one can fly at a minimum of 1,500ft which is low enough for you to see everything but also gives you a good perspective of the landscape. About 65 knots would be a reasonable cruising speed.”

The Cessna will be able to carry up to four passengers depending on weight and will cost in the region of $400 to $450 for an hour-long tour or slightly less for a qualified pilot hire. About ten pilots have expressed an interest in doing the tours.

Mr Tomlinson said he was inspired to bring commercialised air tours to Bermuda after the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association formed the company Vector in 2006 and brought a plane to the Island for trained pilots to fly privately.

“My intention was to support them in any efforts to commercialise it. The only aircraft you can have in Bermuda is one that flies on jet fuel, which is why there are no propeller aircraft here. So I committed to finding an aircraft that would be fit for purpose.

“Many people, some formally associated with Vector, have been most encouraging by the fact that we have been successful in commercialising an aircraft.”

Finding the aircraft was just the first in a number of hurdles Mr Tomlinson and the team had to clear in order to launch a viable commercial air tour business in Bermuda.

“There was negotiating relationships between Bermuda’s Department of Civil Aviation, the Federal Aviation Authority in the US, the Department of Airport Operations and Bermuda’s air traffic control tower as well as everything from negotiating with Sol Aviation over the supply of fuel and setting up accounts, to agreeing terms for leasing the hangar and pilots’ room.

“There were times I thought it wouldn’t go ahead. At one point I saw myself flying the aircraft back off Bermuda but with the alignment of DCA and Longtail Aviation this dream has been delivered.”

Having purchased a suitable craft in Brussels, rather than have the craft “shipped to Bermuda in a box,” Mr Tomlinson decided to embark on a 4,500-mile, multi-stop flight taking in several countries along the way.

His pilot took him over the UK, Faroe Islands, Greenland, and the States where they circled the Statue of Liberty five times “because we were allowed to and it was fun”.

Mr Tomlinson said he hoped this would pave the way for more commercial aircraft operations in Bermuda, including crafts that are suitable for adventure activities such as sky-jumping and parachuting.

He said: “The future of aviation is looking promising with the success of this operation. The hope is that this will open the doors for other aircraft to be operated safely in accordance with Bermuda’s regulations. “

• Flights could operate every day throughout the year but are entirely dependent on weather conditions.

• Bookings can be made through www.blueskyflights.bm or www.islandtourcentre.com

• Mr Tomlinson is due to give a presentation at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute next month outlining his journey to Bermuda on the Cessna as well as the future of aviation in Bermuda.