Harbour Air - proposed Irish seaplane operator
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Harbour Air - proposed Irish seaplane operator
Seaplane service to link Foynes with Galway.
Interesting idea, and appeals to the romantic in me - but realistic? The operator's own website is pretty basic, hasn't been spellchecked yet, and proposes to start Dublin-Cork, Dublin-Belfast, Dublin-Inishmore, and a few other routes once the Foynes-Galway metropolitan axis is fully served...
Interesting idea, and appeals to the romantic in me - but realistic? The operator's own website is pretty basic, hasn't been spellchecked yet, and proposes to start Dublin-Cork, Dublin-Belfast, Dublin-Inishmore, and a few other routes once the Foynes-Galway metropolitan axis is fully served...
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Well, the link reveals:
The service will be a joint venture with Harbour Air Malta, which will be supplying expertise and the aircraft, a 14-seater single-engine Otter seaplane.
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"We Harbour Air Ireland Ltd declare the right of all the people of Ireland to the connectivity of Ireland via its lakes, rivers, harbours, and sea estuaries."
What sort of crummy mission statement is that... the spelling on the website is dreadful, too.
What sort of crummy mission statement is that... the spelling on the website is dreadful, too.
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Sounds like the statement of someone who hasn't looked out the window in the last twenty years. On a regular basis Ireland gets the strongest winds, swells and lowest cloud in Europe. How could anybody propose a scheduled VFR seaplane operation in Ireland. Are they going to have fuel farms at each point, have they applied for planning for same, will they be let, have they considered the difficulty in accessing aviation fuel other than from an airport? Maybe I'm missing something!
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I think these guys have reasearched this project for five years, they've got some money behind them and now it's a matter of an aircraft/maintenance and a base. The planned partnership with HA is not going to work so they are going to go it alone from what I understand. I wish them the best as it's a beautiful country which has as yet untapped seaplane potential. I know the weather issues are there so it's gotta be seasonal and possibly tied in with other operators ie helicopters and tour operators in order to provide security to the business long term. I don't know but I think if they spend the money on the right things from the start then it's possible.
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Harbour Flights Ltd.
Any more information on Harbour Flights Ltd? Have they hired crew, looking for crew?
I see they have received planning permission for a number of docking stations around Ireland and looks like they could be up and running very soon?
I see they have received planning permission for a number of docking stations around Ireland and looks like they could be up and running very soon?
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One wonders if they have considered the implications of the ICAO proposals about improving safety standards on water used as a runway?
If adopted, they are dead in the water (apologies for the pun).
If adopted, they are dead in the water (apologies for the pun).
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So,in Belfast we are now gonna have Belfast International,Belfast City and Belfast Harbour(River Lagan)airports.Haha its dead in the woods before its even started.
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I have flown several times with Harbour Air between Nanaimo and Vancouver and they could learn a lot from them, what a brilliant switched on operation that is. Love the idea having been the founder of airlines in the past myself I would love to do something like this but hope they have researched it very very thoroughly otherwise that cash will soon be gone!
A lot could be learned from Canada and the wind blows a lot over there too and it snows quite a bit as well! There might be an operator or two in Tofino as well that could add some good advice?
A lot could be learned from Canada and the wind blows a lot over there too and it snows quite a bit as well! There might be an operator or two in Tofino as well that could add some good advice?
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I am definitely missing something here. Cessna 172 VFR operations year round in Ireland. Add weight of floats, oh where to put 3 pax plus baggage, and all on an AOC!, and it does DUB/GWY in 40 mins - course there are never any headwinds, silly me. Am off to doc for some magic pills.
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I am definitely missing something here. Cessna 172 VFR operations year round in Ireland. Add weight of floats, oh where to put 3 pax plus baggage, and all on an AOC!, and it does DUB/GWY in 40 mins - course there are never any headwinds, silly me. Am off to doc for some magic pills.
)I wish them well, but it's a very tough sell in today's Ireland. Now if they were proposing this three or four years ago...
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Harbour Air
Anymore updates on Harbour air? Last I read, they were waiting for planning permission to be issued on 28th November last. Are they still on track for commencing commercial flights anytime soon, and how are they fixed for crew?
Somehow, I can't see C172 on floats (or even C206) making financial sense, but a Van / Twotter on the other hand...
All in all, I think it's an excellent idea. I hope it works out for them.
CofL
Somehow, I can't see C172 on floats (or even C206) making financial sense, but a Van / Twotter on the other hand...
All in all, I think it's an excellent idea. I hope it works out for them.
CofL
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Loch Lomond makes money so why can't these guys do it? Weather is an issue off course but with say a twotter on amphibs you could operate IFR and use a "real" airport as a guarantee for the passengers (however an inconvenient one).
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I have been on and watched the Harbour Air ( Canada) Otters departing twelve months of the year, of course weather is an issue but they seem to cope with it remarkably well! A fabulous little airline.
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start date
Less than a week left of 2010... Guess it won't be happening this year then?
Really do hope it works out for them tho'. Do they actually have aircraft puchased / on lease?
Really do hope it works out for them tho'.
Do they actually have aircraft puchased / on lease?
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Start Date
In my humble opion there wont be one.
Ireland is an Island although it has many small Islands of the Coast mostly un-inhabited it is still an Island.
Seaplane operators make Money flying Inter-Island NOT over Island.
The principal is good but wont work.
The Transport structure in Eire is stedily improving and has been doing over the las few years therefore people dont want to fly Foynes or wherever to other Parts.
The Aircraft Choice is totally wrong a C172 ?? you would be lucky to take 2 pax.
Sorry to say this is a Lame Duck j with the Irish Economy as it is no one will be intrested in investing/Using a Sea Plane.
Sorry to bring doom and Gloom but this idea has been on the Cards for a couple of years now It will die a natural death Im afraid
Regards and Happy 2011
Ireland is an Island although it has many small Islands of the Coast mostly un-inhabited it is still an Island.
Seaplane operators make Money flying Inter-Island NOT over Island.
The principal is good but wont work.
The Transport structure in Eire is stedily improving and has been doing over the las few years therefore people dont want to fly Foynes or wherever to other Parts.
The Aircraft Choice is totally wrong a C172 ?? you would be lucky to take 2 pax.
Sorry to say this is a Lame Duck j with the Irish Economy as it is no one will be intrested in investing/Using a Sea Plane.
Sorry to bring doom and Gloom but this idea has been on the Cards for a couple of years now It will die a natural death Im afraid
Regards and Happy 2011
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Learjet,
Many interesting and valid points there. And I think your right with about 90% of what you say. But I still believe this could work, given the right a/c.
Many routes, ie cork city centre to dublin city centre, although served by good roads / train, still takes 3-5 hours depending on traffic, time of day, day of week etc!
If you can do point to point in under an hour, surely there is a market there!?
With the right ticket pricing and aircraft, you could be onto a winner!?
my two cents...
Many interesting and valid points there. And I think your right with about 90% of what you say. But I still believe this could work, given the right a/c.
Many routes, ie cork city centre to dublin city centre, although served by good roads / train, still takes 3-5 hours depending on traffic, time of day, day of week etc!
If you can do point to point in under an hour, surely there is a market there!?
With the right ticket pricing and aircraft, you could be onto a winner!?
my two cents...