Fergus Ewing, the Community Safety Minister, is convening a meeting to discuss the possibility of a feasibility study into what would be a new concept for Scotland, although common across continental Europe.

If realised, it would mean that the country’s main rescue teams no longer had to rely on RAF or naval aircraft whose priority will always be military emergencies, or on the large coastguard helicopter which is often too powerful for mountain rescue manoeuvres.

Virtually all the rescue teams in the Highlands are within half an hour’s flight of Fort William, and the small civilian helicopter would also be available to a host of public agencies.

John Grieve, the leader of Glencoe Mountain Rescue for the past 15 years, first called for the move three-and-a-half years ago, when it was confirmed that the UK’s search and rescue aircraft were to be partially privatised by the Ministry of Defence and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, who would seek private sector partners in a contract, worth as much as £1bn, running from 2012 and lasting for 25 to 30 years.

There was no immediate response, but Mr Grieve, 65, decided to continue with his campaign. “I am going to stand down as leader of the Glencoe team in five years, but I wanted to give this one more try as my legacy. I really do believe it is an idea whose time has come. This is something that the Scottish Government can do for itself. It is a devolved responsibility.”

Mr Grieve has nothing but praise for the crews of the military helicopters that come from RAF Lossiemouth and HMS Gannet at Prestwick. However, he added: “Between ourselves and the nearby Lochaber team who cover Ben Nevis we have the greatest concentration of rescues. This year alone I think it is something like 150.

“But at times we can wait an hour or more before the chopper arrives here. And if it is needed for a military-related matter, it will just go. I remember on one occasion being lowered down on to the hillside, dangling in mid-air, when a call came through and I was just winched back up again and they were off.

“The coastguard helicopter in Stornoway, which does a lot of work with the Skye team, is so powerful that its downdraft can threaten to blow people off the hill. The crews are great, but the aircraft is really designed for maritime rescue. That’s why it is so powerful.

“A smallish helicopter in Fort William could be on Ben Nevis in a few minutes and Glencoe in 10. It could reach the Cairngorms, Oban, Torridon, Skye, Killin, and other teams within half an hour.”

The new aircraft could also be used by police, fire and ambulance services, the Forestry Commission, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and Scottish Water as well as for commercial contract work on the likes of fish farms to help pay for its cost. Mr Grieve said: “Injured forestry and farm workers, ski tow operators caught up in machinery, missing children, the confused elderly who are lost; we have dealt with them all. We just want to see if the figures for a helicopter would stack up.”

Mr Grieve said there are similar set-ups across Europe. “Asturias, for example, is one of the poorest regions of Spain, but they have two helicopters,” he said. “The people demanded a helicopter for the general good of the population, although the main use is for mountain rescue.”

Miller Harris, secretary of the Lochaber team, said: “It certainly is worth a feasibility study at least.”

Mr Grieve thought it might take time to engage politicians, but was delighted after The Herald asked the Scottish Government for its view of a feasibility study and a spokesman said: “The Minister for Community Safety will be seeking a meeting with all relevant parties to discuss these issues. We recognise the vital role mountain rescue teams play in helping people who get into difficulties.

“The Scottish Government has provided £300,000 this year for mountain rescue teams. Although the Scottish Government currently has no plans to provide additional helicopter cover to that provided by the search and rescue helicopter service, we would carefully consider any business case on its merits.”

The climber who died at the weekend was named as Alastair Aitken, a 37-year-old teacher from Newcastle. He died after plunging 70ft into a rocky stream at Coire Gabhail bridge near Three Sisters Gully.