AP’s seaplane dream takes off with trials on Nov 9

Kurnool: The Andhra Pradesh government is set to conduct a seaplane trial run on November 9 from Punnami Ghat in Vijayawada to Srisailam. The Andhra Pradesh Airports Development Corporation Limited (APADCL) has opted for a 14-seater De Havilland Canada aircraft for the trials, the officials said.

These aircraft are successful models, with around 200 operating in Maldives and Mauritius where tourism has expanded significantly. Now, the state government has selected these Canada-based aircraft for efficient operation and a reliable travel experience. Notably, northern Minnesota’s the Superior National Forest is home to the only forest service seaplane base in the United States, which uses De Havilland Canada Beaver DHC-2 airplanes constructed between 1956 and 1959, a testament to their performance and durability, say aero-engineering officials. These planes are well-regarded for their reliability, short take-off and landing capabilities, and good load capacity. If this trial run is successful, regular service is expected to commence in the coming days.

Union aviation minister K. Rammohan Naidu had recently announced the potential launch of regular services on December 9, pending successful trials. Improvements are also being made to the existing floating jetty at Punnami Ghat on the Krishna River. The seaplane is scheduled to depart on Saturday, heading to Srisailam, with provisional arrangements for disembarkation at the old jetty at Pathala Ganga boating point in Srisailam.

A similar initiative was attempted during the Telugu Desam government between 2014 and 19, but it was not pursued by the subsequent government. The ministry of civil aviation, APADCL and the AP Tourism Development Corporation are jointly overseeing the seaplane trials.

If the trials are successful and regular services are introduced, this will offer greater convenience for devotees visiting Durga Malleswara Swamy temple in Vijayawada and Mallikarjuna Swamy temple in Srisailam. In the second phase, the government plans to consider other important tourist locations within the state. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is set to launch the seaplane at 9 am on November 9 at Punnami Ghat in Vijayawada, tourism officials said.