Fair points maxred, but I still think perhaps the coonsil got ideas far and away above their station when they decided to take the place on and develop it.
Oban seemed to be doing not too badly for itself until the current lot came along with their visions. The fact is it was a flawed idea from the start.
Oban is too remote for any practical commercial aviation use - as you say, not enough people... also the airfield (
sic) is a small GA aerodrome without the space/facilities for commercial operations. You could put what you like in. ILS, Radar, full ATSU, it simply would never work. With circa 4000 feet of tarmac, a small apron and no room for any expansion, not to mention the low local population density, realistically, would you ever be able to run commercial flights from that?
The plan had no logic and was completely unworkable from the start.
There again however, from a private & business flying perspective, things are a totally different ball game. The airfield is mere minutes away from Oban itself, a popular tourist destination, and a stepping stone to the Highlands & Islands - again popular with private aviators. The airfield itself is in a lovely location. Oban was always a good fuel stop before going further North or West. The A83 runs right past the entrance. For someone doing business on the West Coast and using a light single/twin it would be ideal.
Not much money to be made from private aviation? Hmm, moot point, there again if Oban was primarily marketed at the groups mentioned above, it could be a useful little enterprise. If it was run as a GA airfield, with minimal overheads and no political interference...
Smithy