Why are there not more flying boats?

[Munter]

Dr Jekyll said:

La Guardia airport was originally a flying boat er, field. I doubt they still have the facilities though.

Some pilots still give it a go occasionally...

[SwissJonese]

They are thinking about doing seaplanes from Cardiff to Swansea (not really sure why as wouldn't be a very long flight), but would be lovely to see them:-
Wales first commercial seaplane

[hairyben]

ecsrobin said:

What we need is more ekranoplan's

how do ekranoplans deal with sea traffic when they're ploughing along at 400mph? I imagine you'd seriously ps off any small vessels you couldn't see until you'd given them a free express carwash and sailboats/10 storey container vessels would pose a serious risk?

[ecsrobin]

hairyben said:

ecsrobin said:

What we need is more ekranoplan's

how do ekranoplans deal with sea traffic when they're ploughing along at 400mph? I imagine you'd seriously ps off any small vessels you couldn't see until you'd given them a free express carwash and sailboats/10 storey container vessels would pose a serious risk?

Small vessels just get squashed, larger vessels like container ships get lasered and then reported missing either by disappearing in the Bermuda Triangle or captured by Somali pirates. Quite simple really.

[h8tax]

We do have one in the UK - actually reasonably priced and seemingly successful. Although I never used it when I lived on the west coast I know plenty of people who did - it was/is a very efficient way to get from Glasgow up to Oban. See link :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loch_Lomond_Seaplanes

[Eric Mc]

There is a technical difference between a seaplane and a flying boat.

[Scotty2]

Good Flying Boat documentary on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y22F9O3A0EM

Seems the Martin Mars no longer fly ;-(

[anonymous-user]

ecsrobin said:

hairyben said:

ecsrobin said:

What we need is more ekranoplan's

how do ekranoplans deal with sea traffic when they're ploughing along at 400mph? I imagine you'd seriously ps off any small vessels you couldn't see until you'd given them a free express carwash and sailboats/10 storey container vessels would pose a serious risk?

Small vessels just get squashed, larger vessels like container ships get lasered and then reported missing either by disappearing in the Bermuda Triangle or captured by Somali pirates. Quite simple really.

Frickin'......they get frickin' lasered.

[The Nur]

ecsrobin said:

What we need is more ekranoplan's

This is the first time this sentence has been spoken in a language other than Russian.

[otherman]

I don't think it's practical. You'd still need terminals with check-in, security, baggage handling etc. Plus how do you maintain a secure landing area. And how many planes could be accomodated even on a big river - would you have contact stands to load passengers, or boat them out to the planes. What about plannng permission and noise in built up areas. All you're saving is the cost of a runway.

[Crafty_]

I was going to take there was a Catalina flying on the south coast until a few years ago, when it crashed, killing two passengers, one of whom was the Mayor of Southampton at the time. But it was actually in 1998

Brief report: http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=...

Apparently scrapped in ireland about 3 years ago: http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?1178...

[Simpo Two]

otherman said:

And how many planes could be accomodated even on a big river - would you have contact stands to load passengers, or boat them out to the planes. What about plannng permission and noise in built up areas. All you're saving is the cost of a runway.

But when flying boats were in the ascendant, there were few airports. Sea was cheaper and in the 1930s they had a place. Now things are different. 'Commercial evolution' if you like.

[ecsrobin]

Found the participants of the sea wings airshow at Southampton I mentioned earlier. It was held in 2000, 2 years after the mayors death in the crash mentioned above that was to drum up publicity for the event.

Grumman Albatross
Grumman Goose
Piaggio Royal Gull
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Twin Bee
Lake Renegade

BE-12 & BE200 were meant to display but didn't get CAA permission.

British Hovercraft Corporation AP1-88

Then you had flying:

Hurricane - BBMF
Canberra - WK163
Swordfish - RNHF
Tornado F3
EH101 Merlin
Sea Fury WH588 - later crashed with a fatality.
Harrier GR7
9 Tiger Moths
Nimrod MR2P
S61N - HMCG
Sea King HAS6 - RN
FM2 Wildcat
F6F Hellcat
F7F Tigercat
F8F Bearcat
Red Arrows
Jaguar GR3
Lynx HAS3


Not a bad line up for a free airshow. A shame it only happened once.

[Nickyboy]

Edited by Nickyboy on Sunday 26th April 22:11