The Clyde was once at the centre of seaplane construction and travel, with 3,000 Short Sunderland flying boats built on it - and Scotland’s first service of its kind taking off from the waters.
In August 1932, the first service connecting passengers between Glasgow and Belfast by flying boat took off. With a return ticket costing £4, and a single priced at £2 5s, travelers left the Great Harbour at Greenock at 9.30am.
The experimental service was the first of its kind in the country, operated by British Flying Boats. With travel taking one hour, many of the city's wealthiest could enjoy a day trip to Northern Ireland.
After the first flight landed, the Northern Whig published an article detailing the journey which read: “The Belfast-Glasgow experimental air service received a splendid send-off at its inauguration yesterday, the flying boat making the flights in each direction with a full complement of passengers.”
On their return from Belfast, passengers expressed ‘enthusiasm’ on their aerial crossing of the channel. Mr W Riddell commented on the ‘remarkably smooth passage’ of the journey.
Another passenger, Mr H Barr was impressed with the service: “I wouldn’t think of travelling any other way to Belfast than by air if a regular service was available from the Clyde, as I hope it will be.
“It was a great advantage to leave Glasgow after breakfast, fly to Belfast, transact business there, and be back in Glasgow the same night.”
The following month, the Cloud of Iona picked up a new route and offered transport between Greenock and Oban. The Dundee Evening Telegraph told readers: “The Cloud of Iona is the first flying boat to be operated on a regular service in this country.
“The machine, which is a Saunders-Roe all-metal Saro amphibian, has seating in a comfortable cabin for 12 passengers. Eventually, it is understood, the Cloud of Iona will run a series of services, with the main rivers, harbours and lakes of Great Britain as bases.”
The vehicle was equipped with two air-cooled engines, and could maintain height with either in the event of one's failure. When both engines failed in 1936, the Cloud of Iona was doomed.
With the aircraft sold to Guernsey Airways two years earlier, in September 1934, it was now used for flights between Guernsey and Jersey. Iona departed Guernsey at 7pm, for a journey that was supposed to take 20 minutes.
The weather was poor, and the visibility low - though it was the engine failure that forced an emergency sea landing. The pilot successfully landed on the water, with all of those onboard wearing a lifejacket.
The aircraft was overturned by waves, and broken up by rough waters - and all 10 passengers drowned. When the remnants were found three days later, Guernsey Airways made a statement which read: “Wreckage verified as part of the flying-boat has been found at the Minquiers Rocks, which indicates that the disaster took place between that position and Jersey.
“The search continues. The company expresses its deep regret to the relatives of those who must now be presumed to have lost their lives.”
In 2007, flying boats made a return to the city. The Glasgow City Centre Seaplane Airport was opened on the Clyde - run by Loch Lomond Seaplanes.
Originally scheduling services to Oban Bay, a second route was added in 2008 taking passengers from Glasgow to Tobermory Bay. It is currently Europe’s only city centre commercial seaplane service in operation.
