TOURIST seaplane flights could be seen on rivers and estuaries throughout the Eurobodalla as soon as this weekend.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
After two years of research and paperwork, South Coast Seaplane director Tim Gilbo was excited to last week announce final Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) approval for his flights.
Mr Gilbo said he had fielded questions from the public each time he landed his seaplane on a shire lake or river.
“We started down this path because I was flying the seaplane and everyone wanted to have a fly in it,” Mr Gilbo said.
“I thought, it is so much fun, why not do it commercially?”
Mr Gilbo purchased his plane from Alaska in 2006 while living in Africa.
Without a use for the floats in Africa, he removed them, but said he always wanted to put them back on.
Moving from Malawi to Moruya gave him the excuse he needed.
There was no better time to put the floats back on and begin flying.
“When we were looking to move back to Australia, we wanted to find somewhere with beaches, an airport and some mountains,” Mr Gilbo said.
“The Eurobodalla has all of that.”
The floats went back on in January last year and, soon after, Mr Gilbo formed a business partnership with Natalie and Nutsy Fairweather, of Sea Breeze Aviation.
Getting the business to operational stage has cost $150,000, not including the cost of the aircraft.
“I think and I hope it is worth it,” Mr Gilbo said.
“It has been a lot of money, effort and risk because we don’t know what the market is.
“We have done as much research as we can, but you just have to stick your feet in the water and see what happens.”
On water, seaplanes are treated as a boat.
As NSW's only regional commercial seaplane business, Mr Gilbo thinks the plane will be a good addition to Eurobodalla tourism,
“There is a very thin tourist offering down here,” he said.
“There are so many lakes and rivers, the opportunities are endless.
“We are keen to tie in with other businesses.”
Mr Gilbo said a seaplane flight was the “perfect special occasion thing to do”.
“We can go anywhere people want,” he said.
“I think the most predominate tourist flight is going to be south to Montague Island.
“From Moruya to Montague Island, you will be in the air for about half-an-hour, depending on wind and how many whales you see on the way.”
His rough costing was $500 for the three-seater plane.
Describing seaplanes as “closer to what the birds do”, Mr Gilbo said it was the sort of thing people got a bug for.
“There is just something about it,” he said.