The Vijayawada-Srisailam seaplane trial run was conducted successfully on Friday, a day ahead of the inauguration of the demo seaplane flight by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
The seaplane, which took off from Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada, landed safely in Srisailam reservoir in the Nandyal district.
The De Havilland Twin Otter Series 400 seaplane, which can seat 14 persons, landed near Srisailam tourism boating jetty.
Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force, police, the Indian Air Force, and the Tourism department were present during the trial.
Chief Minister Naidu, Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu, and some top officials will board the inaugural demo flight from Vijayawada to Srisailam on Saturday. They will return to Vijayawada by the same flight.
According to Andhra Pradesh Airports Development Corporation Ltd (APADCL), the aircraft is engineered for both water and conventional runways.
The demo flights between Vijayawada and Srisailam will continue till November 11.
The APADCL said introduction of seaplanes is part of its initiatives to enhance Andhra Pradesh’s role in India’s aviation sector. The Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) of the Central government is proposing the development of water aerodromes to support seaplane services. Launched in 2017, the UDAN-RCS initiative aims to boost regional air connectivity with seaplanes included as an integral part of the plan. The scheme offers subsidies for flights to underserved and unserved regions, making seaplanes a crucial element in expanding access to these areas.
Under the RCS-UDAN scheme, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has proposed the development of seaplane services across strategic locations having large water bodies, across the country. One such location selected by the AAI is Prakasam Barrage in Andhra Pradesh.
According to officials, seaplane operations in Andhra Pradesh hold great potential due to its beautiful waterfronts and long coastline. The state government has identified eight key locations for seaplane services, aiming to boost tourism and provide unique travel experiences. They are Prakasam Barrage, Araku, Lambasingi, Rushikoonda, Kakinada, Konaseema, Srisailam, and Tirupati.