SME Focus: In this week�s SME Focus, serial entrepreneur Eddie Allison shows it is not just the big fish that have profited in the process.

CONCERNS about global warming have resulted in the international aviation industry being subject to attention that industry champions such as Ryanair's Michael O'Leary feel is unjustified.

Whatever the science says about the ecological impact of flying, there can be no doubt that the industry is an increasingly important cog in the Scottish economic machine.

Thanks in part to the rise of Ryanair, the dramatic growth of Prestwick Airport has made the Ayrshire base a major source of employment in the area.

In this week's SME Focus, serial entrepreneur Eddie Allison shows it is not just the big fish that have profited in the process.

Name: Eddie Allison.

Age: 46.

What is your business called? Ocean Sky Corporate.

Where is it based? Glasgow Prestwick Airport.

What services does it offer? Air charter and VIP aircraft handling services.

To whom does it sell and where is its market? Individuals or companies in need of the flexibility and security afforded only by using a dedicated aircraft and operators of private jets.

What is its turnover? Between £1m and £2m.

How many employees? 11.

When was it formed? December 2005.

Why did you take the plunge? After working for a charter company and then in aircraft sales at Glasgow Airport in the 1980s, I spotted a niche to provide services for private jet customers, some of whom had had to resort to pretty basic facilities, and set up Airward in 1986, which became Execair. This did well enough to attract the attention of another services business at the airport, Higgs, which was part of the Rupert Murdoch empire. I agreed to merge Execair into Higgs in 1988 and ended up leading the business on an expansion drive which took us into several other airports. However, when Higgs was sold in 1997 and I had a management buy-out bid knocked back I found myself looking for a new job. I moved to Prestwick Airport, which eventually became part of Infratil Airports Europe. As a senior manager with Infratil. I had responsibility for growing the non-scheduled business such as private jets, training flights, fuel stops, diversions, etcetera. When I took this role on in 1997, these aspects of the business represented only £100,000 turnover. When I left to set up this business this had grown to almost £6m.

How did you raise the start-up funding? I was approached by trade investors in London who were looking to expand their charter business and we came to an agreement for them to fund the start-up. After six months we were self-financing and have been ever since.

What was your biggest break? My last major project with Infratil was lobbying the UK Government to use Glasgow Prestwick for the world leaders' aircraft arriving in Scotland for the G8 Summit being held at Gleneagles in 2005. Once this had been achieved, I then led the team preparing Prestwick for the complex and difficult tasks of managing the flights and the associated security issues. This meant devoting three months of my life exclusively to this project. After completing this once-in-a-lifetime exercise, there were a number of high-profile events involving invites from the First Minister and Prime Minister. The G8 event reminded me that I was perhaps becoming a touch complacent in a senior management job within a big company and that, to retain the kind of buzz from G8, I needed to get off my backside and do something new. So I would have to put G8 up there with the best. Seeing Airforce One and all the other G8 leaders' aircraft lined up on the Prestwick tarmac was an incredible sight; I felt very proud to have helped make it happen.

What was your worst moment? The horrible knowledge that I had to generate 100% of Ocean Sky Corporate's business. We had to attract new business to the airport - it wasn't a case of hanging our "open" sign outside the front door and waiting for the crowds to pour in. That concentrates the mind wonderfully so from get-go it was a case of chasing up all my contacts around the world, stressing the benefits of Ocean Sky and Prestwick, doing deals, and working all the hours that God sends.

What do you most enjoy about running the business? Oddly enough, the same thing. It is the fear factor that makes the success all the more exhilarating. In addition, I love aircraft so every day I get the opportunity to get close up to things like Learjets and 747s - boys' toys. We have won a contract to look after the awesome Antonov 225, the world's largest aircraft, and it's now a frequent visitor at Ocean Sky. Standing beside it, and seeing how it dwarves not just humans but even aircraft like the 747 makes you feel very small indeed.

What do you least enjoy? Paperwork - I am too impatient for paperwork. Fortunately I am kept well in hand by my management team.

What is your biggest bugbear? I get frustrated from time to time with companies and individuals who do not complete tasks on time or as agreed. I take a huge pride in being the best I can be - both as an individual and as the MD of the company and I don't have much truck with mediocrity.

What are your ambitions for the firm? To become number one in the industry. We believe we already are in terms of service levels and now we are set to grow at other airports in the UK and Europe.

What are your five top priorities? Safety, professionalism, profit, happy clients and happy staff.

What could the Westminster Government and/or the Scottish Government do that would most help? Each year many millions of pounds worth of business aviation traffic uses airports in Ireland, Iceland, Belgium and Spain to stop for fuel en route to and from the US and/or Canada. There does not appear to be any help available to companies such as ours to attract this business to Scotland. Such help would be available if we were selling a more tangible product and I believe this should be addressed.

What was the most valuable lesson you learned? I have always played it 100% straight. There are often very enticing, short-term gains to be had by cutting corners. But while it can be extremely galling to see some other company benefiting in the short-term, I have learned if you keep a straight path the outcome is assured.

How do you relax? We are incredibly busy, as our operation is 24/7 and it is extremely difficult to relax. But recently I have become more aware of the need to make time to "chill out". I am a Tai Chi instructor and used to conduct weekly classes but had to stop this. I am going to try to find time to start these again as Tai Chi is challenging enough to need commitment and training but it is superbly relaxing and beneficial to physical fitness too. Above all, my family provide wonderful relaxation, inspiration and infinite pleasure.