Wow, Waterfront Air has been BUSY!

[Sicer]

Looks like these guys are still hard at work behind the scenes! What's taking so long?? :confused:

http://www.waterfrontair.com/Pages/RegionalPRD.aspx

2010 News Update

Waterfront Air meet with Guangdong Waterways Bureau
Waterfront Air meet with Zhuhai Marine department
Waterfront Air meet with Zhuhai Vessel Traffic Services
Waterfront Air meet with the Vice President of GZ internaional Airport
Waterfront Air meet with South Central CAAC
Waterfront Air meet with the Vice Mayor of Zhuhai
Waterfront Air meet with SZ Air Traffic Control
Waterfront Air meet with the State Oceanic Administration

[jonathon68]

Note the absence of any SAR Government Department among those meetings.

It is impossible to get any of the 150 000 plus HK civil servant to make a real decision about anything. Their major concern is about being associated with any decision or project which subsequently attracts criticism. Career wise, it is much safer for them to keep a low profile. When they get criticized for doing nothing about an issue, then they will carry out some PR exercise about "public consultations", and belatedly cover things up.

Why would any civil servant bother to give the green light to an operation like Waterfront Air? Just imagine all the departments which are potentially involved

- agriculture, fisheries and conservation
- CAD
- Commerce Industry and Tourism
- Drainage Services department
- Environmental bureau
- Police
- Maritime Industry Council
- Marine department
- commissioner of insurance
- transport department
- trade and industry department

It's just not worth risking a nice comfy career and pension over. :8. Across the border in China, things can actually be done by "retaining" a few consultants. Here in HKG, the ICAC is always ready to be "tipped off" by jealous colleagues....

Now, if the department boss was just about to face a universal general election, then there would probably be some serious incentives to get things done! :eek:

But the Hong Kong public are not politically mature enough to vote for that sort of system yet. :yuk:

[Sicer]

Here is some more recent Waterfront Air news. Looking for the right Chinese partner!


Seaplane Operator Applying For Chinese AOC

AWIN First Mar 21 , 2011
Leithen Francis SINGAPORE

Start-up seaplane operator Waterfront Air is planning to launch operations in southern China next year and is working to get regulatory approvals and secure a large Chinese investor.

The company, which is to have its main base in Shenzhen, is working to get regulatory approval from the Shenzhen and Guangzhou governments, as well as from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), says Peter de Kantzow, Waterfront Air director and co-founder. “We could be operational next year,” says de Kantzow, who is the son of Sydney de Kantzow, the Australian pilot who co-founded Cathay Pacific Airways as well as Macau Air Transport, a seaplane operator that was flying until the early 1960s.

Waterfront Air plans to operate 15-passenger de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter floatplanes from Shenzhen Airport ’s marine terminal to destinations in southern China , including islands off Guangzhou .

Chinese law requires that local carriers be majority Chinese-owned, so de Kantzow says they are seeking a large Chinese company to be a strategic investor that can support the business throughout China . He says it is important in China for an airline to have a Chinese partner in each place that it serves. Rather than have a myriad of local partners, Waterfront Air aims to have one large Chinese partner, he adds. Waterfront Air has had discussions with several Chinese property developers, that are interested in investing in an airline, but Waterfront Air has yet to decide on a partner and is still looking, says de Kantzow. In some other Asian countries, such as Thailand and the Philippines , property developers invest in floatplane operations, because air connectivity helps to boost a property development’s value.

[Michael Hunt]

The day I see a twotter on floats taking off from Victoria harbour I will eat my own ass.
I love the idea but just can't see it happening.