The Empire flying boat
had a huge romantic appeal, and it is tempting to imagine similar
aircraft flying in and out of the Thames Estuary without the need for
elaborate infrastructure (Letters, July 2).
Sadly, there are
practical reasons why flying boats are seldom used for passenger
services except on specialized routes, such as those involving small
islands.
A flexible service would require the use of amphibious
aircraft able to operate from conventional runways as well as water,
which adds to weight, complexity and operating costs. Most large
amphibious aircraft are built for specialized applications such as
fighting forest fires.
Having said that, at least one such
aircraft, the Beriev Be-200, is available as a passenger variant. A
business opportunity for someone, perhaps?
Read more and comments/reaction: http://www.telegraph.co.uk
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