I have never had the opportunity to fly in a Flying Boat, so am somewhat green with envy of those who have.
My father flew back from India in an Empire Flying Boat. I remember him telling me about it when I was five or six years old. It sounded so fantastic that it became my favourite aircraft of all time. It was only a few years later that I learnt that the Sunderland was the military version of the Empire boats. It then became my second favourite aircraft.
Since those days a lot of water has passed under the bridge, but these two aircraft are still my first and second favourites. The only other thing that has remained constant from that time is my support of the English rugby union team.