Ever flown in a flying boat?

**Menelaus** · 9 July 2009, 14:48

Originally posted by MrMark View Post

Or driven an amphibious tank? Or taken Concorde?

What's it like? (Nudge nudge - you can tell me - we're all men of the world here)

Flown in an aircraft with floats in the Maldives, does that count?

Landing on the sea = bumpy!

**Not So Wise** · 9 July 2009, 14:50

Flying boat/sea plane, As a passenger,Bumpy take off/landing otherwise like a normal small plane..aka noisy as hell

**expat** · 9 July 2009, 15:19

Ever flown in a flying boat?

No, but I worked on a plantation in Africa where some of the old guys remembered when air service from South Africa to London was a flying boat that took off from Cape Town and stopped on the way in Lake Malawi, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, then in the Nile at Khartoum and Cairo, then near Athens, Rome, Marseille and finally landed on the Thames. Travelling just never seemed the same after that.

**PM-Junkie** · 9 July 2009, 15:19

Originally posted by Menelaus View Post

Flown in an aircraft with floats in the Maldives, does that count?

Landing on the sea = bumpy!

I agree...I've done the same thing. Once you have landed on water you will never again think a runway landing is bumpy!

**cailin maith** · 9 July 2009, 15:20

Originally posted by Menelaus View Post

Flown in an aircraft with floats in the Maldives, does that count?

Landing on the sea = bumpy!

Me too - puked - not nice

Made sure we got the boat back to Male on the way back despite the fact that it took much longer!

**Peoplesoft bloke** · 9 July 2009, 15:26

Originally posted by Menelaus View Post

Flown in an aircraft with floats in the Maldives, does that count?

Landing on the sea = bumpy!

Me too but had smooth take off and landing each time - must've been lucky. Pilots hold hands on the throttles at takoff to make sure they aren't jolted off to lower power by bumps.

**Moscow Mule** · 9 July 2009, 15:26

I've flown on Concorde.

Initial acceleration was quite amazing.

Cruise was unremarkable, apart from being able to see the curvature of the earth...

Deceleration was quite impressive too...

**Peoplesoft bloke** · 9 July 2009, 15:28

Btw ex-wife offered to pay for concorde flight from her inheritance - I was tempted but felt I couldn't justify it.

**dang65** · 9 July 2009, 15:37

Originally posted by expat View Post

No, but I worked on a plantation in Africa where some of the old guys remembered when air service from South Africa to London was a flying boat that took off from Cape Town and stopped on the way in Lake Malawi, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, then in the Nile at Khartoum and Cairo, then near Athens, Rome, Marseille and finally landed on the Thames. Travelling just never seemed the same after that.

I remember seeing a documentary about that route on the telly. Just about the most romantic travel option I can imagine. I think someone tried to revive the service a few years ago in a slightly smaller plane, but they couldn't join the whole thing up safely any more. Something like that anyway.

I'd like to try an airship one of these days, if they ever become popular again.

Ever flown in a flying boat?