Landing seaplane on the Thames?
 

I read about the small greek airline AirSea Lines landing on hte Thames with their float equipped Twin Otter. Apparently they plan to start a couple of lines going to North Wales and the Peak district. And I was wondering - are you allowed to land on the Thames with a floatplane, or does iot require special permission?

I would think that there would be little to no chance of approval ever being granted due to the practical aspects of such an operation.
Any area of the Thames which may be commercially viable from a passenger viewpoint will almost certainly already be full of shipping of various kinds, there are very few - if any - areas within this area which could be developed for seaplane activity and the area is already a very busy one with regard to aviation.

That aside, the proposed destinations are unique but not exactly what you would have imagined being commercially viable.

I think someone has been on the Ouzo.

Great place the UK.

If the rules don't specifically say you can do it - then obviously you cann't!

Not getting at anyone but it is interesting the mindset that we seem to have. Try Victoria harbour in British Columbia - rather busier than the Thames has been for the last 100 years. With scheduled flights turning finals over the top of the parliament building. and landing in the main channel of the harbour.

But you're right it'll never happen here.

I think there were all sorts of 'special arrangements' worked out for that visit, although given that Thames are pretty good with transists I would have hoped it was easy enough.

as to commercial viability - I would guess that depends on where all those City bonuses are being spent - surely not N.Wales and the Peak District?

Dont be so quick to dismiss the potential of this operation. Take an aerial look at London city airport and you will see a very nice water landing strip to the north of Rwy 28/10
The facilities provided by the airport base would obviously be invaluable to such an operation and as such it would make perfect sense to operate from such a base.
[IMG]http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/7721/picture2ko0.png[/IMG]

G-ASAX wrote:
Wrong...! It's actually the other way round. BUT, I suspect you'd need the permission of the Port of London Authority, and clearance to land in a congested area (and restricted if Central London).

I know of three occasions where an aircraft has landed on the Thames. Keith Sissons did it in a Tiger Moth (got a picture somewhere), and also in a Cessna 185, G-BKMM which then taxied up to Tower Bridge. I have also seen the Kermit Weeks Short Sandringham, G-BJHS moored outside the Tower of London, so that has also landed there somewhere (can't believe it water taxied all the way from Southend!).

During the past year, the CAA have also given permission to land a Twin Otter in the Royal Victoria Dock, so it can be done.

Probably just another case of people thinking themselves into it being too difficult.

NikNak wrote:
Not anymore. The abcense of shipping on the Thames downstream of Greenwich is very noticable, with only a few 'commercial' movements per day. Ferries and pleasure craft, however do feature, but it's hardly busy!

Ah but could you taxy a seaplane through the Thames Barrier?

I believe that during the 1940s/50s there was an airport (or waterport? What's the correct term for an airport with a water runway?) close to Tower Bridge with a couple of scheduled operations. Can't remember the details.

It coule be viable but would the CAA allow it?

CapCon

QUOTE'Ah but could you taxy a seaplane through the Thames Barrier?'

Not sure why you wopuld ever want to even if you could.. To make this sevice interesting the landing area needs to be close in to London. The water strip at London city is perfect and I have a suspicious feeling it is within the perimeter of the London City Airport property boundary.

I imagine it would work as it looks like there is about 1600mts x 100mts available.

Shouldn't be a problem even for Kermit Weeks if he really needed to:

"Spans C, D, E and F are 61m wide with a depth of 5.8m below Chart Datum."

Sunderland wingspan is 34.4 m

By definition it's just an Aerodrome!

Any area of land or water designed, equipped, set apart or commonly used for affording facilities for the landing and departure of aircraft. (CAP 493 Glossary)

On the chart they are called "Water AD" there are lots of em up here.

Otherwise known as "lochs"?:}

Absolutely, but with a blue ring designating as legal to splash into.

That's it - since I'm moving to Hastings but need to be in London a couple of times a week I'm buying a Lake LA4-200 Renegade. Tie her to the pier in Hastings and then tie her to HMS Belfast's anchor chain when I'm in London..:}

Thruth is, the Thames isn't very heavily trafficked anymore. It could easily accomodate some seaplane movement to the East. It's also insanely wide there, so there's plenty of room.

And isn´t 61 m the span of Tower Bridge also, while open?

Anyway, Hughes Hercules would have problems. Saunders-Roe Princess, too. And Martin Mars probably does not have necessary clearance, either.

Seen at Biggin Hill at the end of the week:

http://www.pbase.com/kbmphotography/image/69910060.jpg

Procedures need to be sorted to make it easier to interact with LCY. This little Twotter caused a bit of a problem for us on radar...... why would LCY airport want to slow their own operation down for it to land on water... why not just land on the black stuff???

What is it with LCY anyway? They won't allow helicopters or smaller aircraft. Why are they so a**l?

I believe they are so A**l because of how central it is to London. The approach to LCY is not the standard 3 degree..I think it is 7degree, hence you feel like you are suka diving the runway.

If your single engine spamcan went quiet upfront it could all go terribly wrong, and with Canary Wharf housing some of Europes major communications hubs It would not be a clever idea to allow such a risk.

At least with multi engine you have some sort of chance of staying straight and level or some form of powered approach.

As for helicopters I cannot explain this, maybe there is a lot of windsheer due to the builings around the airport.

The minimum landing fee at LCY is £375 (£750 at peak times) inclusive of 40 mins parking. After the first 40mins, parking is charged at a minimum of £60 per hour, rising to £240 per hour for a prime stand at peak times. All aircraft using the Airport must be of an approved type, and all pilots must hold a Commercial or Air Transport Pilots Licence.

Not really the place for a PPL jolly! ;)

I thought the difference between Scotland and England was that is was legal to "splash in" anywhere in Scotland.

Why?