Seaplane ride

[Dysko]

Hi,
for my birthday, my university friends gave me as a present a seaplane ride above the Lake of Como (northern Italy) with the most important seaplane flying school in Italy, and one of the most important in Europe. My birthday is in november, but since weather in northern Italy during autumn and winter is very foggy, I could fly only some weeks ago.
Here are some photos from the seaplane base:

Most of the planes were Cessna C172 equipped with floats








Cessna C206:


The 2 historical planes of the flying club: a Piper PA-18 Super Cub...


...and a Cessna O-1 Bird Dog:




Seagulls fleeing from a C172:


And the C206 landing:



The flight was actually a trial flight with a certified instructor, so I flew the plane, and I could take only few photos. Taxiing in the lake before takeoff...


...and downwind leg before landing (you can see another seaplane in front of the ferry):


And here is the plane on which I flew:


Thank you for watching

[FlyboyGil]

Nice photos. Did float flying here in Canada once, during Autumn, in the North. Beautiful scenery and fun flying. Keep it up if you can. 

[Kilrah]

Cool, would love flying a seaplane one day. Unfortunately, none of those here

[Oddball]

Been past Lake Como a few times the way to Livigno, beautiful area.

[Stef]

Nice images!!   

Naive little old me didn't even know we had seaplanes in Europe. Where else can you land with them? I guess you can land anywhere where there's water. But as a learned European, I know that it's probably prohibited except in a few designated areas. Also, you won't find AvGas on any old lake, right?

I've seen some seaplanes who can extend wheels from their floats. I guess that's not standard, or is it?

[Mike]

I always wanted to get my seaplane rating!

After seeing these pictures, I really have to find a school now!

[Dysko]

Thank you, everybody

Naive little old me didn't even know we had seaplanes in Europe. Where else can you land with them? I guess you can land anywhere where there's water. But as a learned European, I know that it's probably prohibited except in a few designated areas. Also, you won't find AvGas on any old lake, right?

I'm sure there is at least another seaplane school in Italy (equipped only with ultralight planes though) and a Dubai-owned seaplane company which offers sightseeing tours of Venice. I'm also fairly sure there are seaplanes in Greece (saw some photos in some magazines), but the crisis may have hit badly that sector.

I've seen some seaplanes who can extend wheels from their floats. I guess that's not standard, or is it?

The Como flying school has more than 10 planes, and only 3 are amphibians: the Super Cub in the photos, a Cessna 172 (which is often sent to small airshows for advertising, its reg is I-DROV, which is the initial part of the word "idrovolante" that means "seaplane" in Italian), and a Lake LA-4-200 Buccaneer which is usually used for long voyages.

[Oddball]

Got float plane training based on Loch Tay near me where we also have Radio Control float plane days also have one as a air taxi based out of Scone Aerodrome (Perth International) that lands on the River Clyde in Glasgow.

[Stef]

I'm sure there is at least another seaplane school in Italy (equipped only with ultralight planes though) and a Dubai-owned seaplane company which offers sightseeing tours of Venice. I'm also fairly sure there are seaplanes in Greece (saw some photos in some magazines), but the crisis may have hit badly that sector.

Whoa! Flying seaplanes in Greece must be awesome! Imagine island hopping in a Twin Otter, and spending the night in a lonely bay, getting out the barbeque and a couple of folding chairs and put them on the roof... A bottle of retsina...

But actually, flying seaplanes anywhere must be awesome!

[Fabo]

Flying a float otter... Greeece...

must.. concentrate... forum, post... photoshop waiting... SNAP OUT!

OK Stef, thank you for that. Now regarding seaplanes in Europe, they do exist, but mostly only in coastal countries. I know for a fact that seaplanes are forbidden in Slovakia. There was a guy once that used to operate one illegaly on Liptovska Mara in the Tatras, but he got caught, the airplane was flown out, and I suppose he was fined heavily.

[Jupiter]

We've got a couple of them here in the Netherlands too, if I'm not mistaken. At the aviation museum where our aircraft is on display, they used to offer "splash and dash" rides on a Catalina (don't know if they still do that), and somewhere else on that field they've got a flying school which used to offer island barbecues on the IJsselmeer, while you're being flown there with an amphibious Cessna. Again, not sure if it's still done...

[FlyboyGil]

We've got a couple of them here in the Netherlands too, if I'm not mistaken. At the aviation museum where our aircraft is on display, they used to offer "splash and dash" rides on a Catalina (don't know if they still do that), and somewhere else on that field they've got a flying school which used to offer island barbecues on the IJsselmeer, while you're being flown there with an amphibious Cessna. Again, not sure if it's still done...

Did they ever recover the Lancaster which had crashed in that lake? My understanding was that it was fairly complete.

[Jupiter]

As far as I know, they've brought up some pieces, including the remains of the Polish crew, between 15 and 10 years ago. Can't find anything about it since, so what's left of it will probably still be lying there... Apparently there's also other Lancaster down there, but don't know what state that one's in... Tail numbers are DV286 (the Polish one) and ED603. More info here and here, in case you're interested...