Seaplane operations
Hi Guys,
This is based only on my own personal recollection of flying history, read when I was in my, (now distant,) youth and certainly not in possession of a flying licence.
Back in the days when Pan Am clippers spanned the world and Imperial Airways operated regular flying boat services across the Empire and the RAF operated flying boats for maritime patrol and air/sea rescue, and larger Royal Navy vessels carried a float biplane and a catapult, if I recall correctly we had numerous civilian licensed water aerodromes and RAF/RNAS air stations dotted all around the UK coast.
So far as I know, there are none of these left, although it might just be worthwhile writing to the CAA to see if there are any left, (no doubt now unused historic relics of a byegone age). You never know; there might be an odd surprise location somewhere.
However without these kinds of facility, it seems to me the resurgance of seaplane flying stands very little chance indeed of ever getting off the ground in the UK ever again.
In principle, it might be technically feasable to find one or two old, disused seaplane aerodromes that might still be suitable for refurbishment into working aerodromes, (and that do not have sailing marinas built on them,) but what the cost would be, God alone knows.
My understanding is that if you want to operate off salt water you need a flying boat as these are designed for the purpose. So for reasons already given, by persons with much more knowledge then me, even if a sea aerodrome was available, we could not just put 'boots' on our landplanes and learn to operate off salt water. The problem with all inland fresh water locations being in private ownership and subject to fishing rights has already been mentioned.
I must confess to being very pessimistic about the idea of restarting private seaplane flying.
BP.