New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate India’s first seaplane service in Gujarat, which will run between Ahmedabad (Sabarmati riverfront) and the Statue of Unity, Kevadia on October 31.
Spicejet is making foray into the SeaPlane Service on Ahmedabad-Kevadia route with fares starting at Rs 1500. SpiceJet will operate 2 daily flights on the said route. The aircraft will depart from Sabarmati Riverfront, Ahmedabad at 10:15 am and will reach the Statue of Unity, Kevadia at 10:45 am.
Narendra Modi will take the first inaugural flight from Ahemdabad’s Sabarmati Riverfront to the Statue of Unity in Kevadia Colony, said reports.
The tourists arriving in Gujarat from every nook and corner of the nation and world will soon have the option to fly onboard a Seaplane from Ahmedabad to Kevadia.
SpiceJet today announced the launch of its seaplane service between Ahmedabad (Sabarmati riverfront) and the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, Gujarat. The flights will be operated by SpiceJet’s fully-owned subsidiary, Spice Shuttle. pic.twitter.com/9CQkEZ1J3O
— Ashoke Raj (@Ashoke_Raj) October 28, 2020
The all-inclusive one-way fares will begin at Rs 1500 under the UDAN scheme and tickets will be available on www.spiceshuttle.com from October 30.
The major difference between an airplane and the seaplane is between their methods and capacities of takeoff and landing.
An airplane’s take-off and landing is from the land, while the seaplane can make take-off and land on any large water body – sea, river or lake.
About Twin Otter seaplane
According to a release from the Defence wing, the seaplane, which will be operated by SpiceJet, is a Twin Otter 300 and registered in the name of Spicejet Technic.
Twin Otter seaplane which arrived at riverfront in Ahmedabad weighs 3,377 kilograms. Its fuel tank has a capacity of 1,419 liters. The Seaplane has a length of 15.77 meters (51 feet) and a height of 5.94 meters (19 feet), and it can fly carrying a maximum weight of 5,670 kg. Its seating capacity is 19 passengers.
According to Captain Ajay Chauhan, “This machine (Seaplane) is having twin engines of PT61-32 type with single-stage free turbine. The seaplane consumes 272 kg of fuel per one hour of flying. The major technical difference between the airplane and seaplane is during their takeoff and landing operations; the former gets the assistance of a computerized control system, while the latter has a manual system for all the operations.”
“Secondly, the seaplane flies at a very low height, compared to other commercial flights. Its takeoff and landing operations demand more skill from the pilot as its operations have to be carried out from a liquid (water) surface,” he added.
