Reply to: Ever flown in a flying boat?

[Sysman]

Done a hydrofoil. Even on what looked like smooth water it felt like being inside a tumble dryer.

[Sysman]

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 think it was the Beeb who did a documentary on an attempt to do a modern re-run of that flight, using as much of the original equipment as possible. I'd recommend watching it if you get the chance.

[Moscow Mule]

Been on the London Underground when Chelsea were playing Millwall

WINNAR!

[darmstadt]

Been on the London Underground when Chelsea were playing Millwall

[Board Game Geek]

Dunno

[KentPhilip]

Been in a hovercraft several times, does that count as a flying boat??
What about a hydrofoil, taken quite a few trips down the Danube to Bratislava on one of these also http://www.twincityliner.com/

PZZ

That's not a hydrofoil, its a catamaran.
Here's a hydrofoil: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE-NwA6bhJE
(it leaves from the jetty behind (northwest of) Amsterdam central station every 30 minutes)
And here is a list of the accidents it has had http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/568-hyd...boat-amsterdam

[pzz76077]

Been in a hovercraft several times, does that count as a flying boat??
What about a hydrofoil, taken quite a few trips down the Danube to Bratislava on one of these also http://www.twincityliner.com/

PZZ

[Board Game Geek]

Concorde.

It was very nice.

[Menelaus]

Have made a parachute jump from a balloon, if that counts for anything?

A truly remarkable feeling, especially when I'd done all my jumps to that point from a moving aircraft.

9.8m/s2

[HairyArsedBloke]

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)

Been down in a submarine - does that count?

[dang65]

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.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

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

[Moscow Mule]

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]

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.

[cailin maith]

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!