Seaplane Intro

This is great, watch full screen

With water all around the folks in Seattle , the float plane offers incredible freedom. This video is about the history of seaplanes at Lake Union , which is unique because it is in the middle of Seattle and hosts a variety of watercraft all sharing the lake. Enjoy this video on a fascinating form of aviation set in the scenic beauty of the NW.

A full sized model of the B&W (mentioned in the video), Boeing's first production airplane that was created for Boeing's 50th anniversary celebration now hangs in the Great Gallery of the Museum of Flight.



http://www.lakeunionhistory.or.../Seaplane_Intro.html



http://www.lakeunionhistory.or.../Seaplane_Intro.html

Very good video, thanks for posting.


If anyone tried to set up something similar now,
it would be tied up with red tape and "oh we can't have the two operating on the lake at the same time" !!! LOL

Greetings, xgrunt.
I've lived on or very near Lake Union for 35 years, and was unaware of much of this history, esp.
Boeing having a base at the foot of Roanoke St., just a few blocks from my home.

The Kenore Air Dehavilland Beavers, plus the new Cessna turbos, fly over my back yard every day. No problem. The only compaint I have is the one Lake Union operator who still uses a single-blade prop, which goes supersonic at the tips and makes a hell of a racket.

I'm not an airman, but did do a litle time in the left seat of a Beaver. Wish I had finished.

Here in Seattle, we call them flaot planes.

Got my first hours on floats there in 72.

Thanks for the memory jog.

I live near there. Supposedly Kenmore is the largest seaplane port in the world. They do all the otter/beaver work.