Bloomberg Moves Forward With "River Runways" Plann

NY Sun:

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New Plan on Air Traffic Here Envisages Rivers as ‘Runways'

By ANNIE KARNI
Special to the Sun
April 18, 2007

In an effort to help relieve the region's heavy airport congestion, the Bloomberg administration is quietly pushing forward a plan to put the city's rivers to use as runways, a city official said yesterday.

As heightened security regulations at airports and overcrowded airspace add to flight delays and threaten to restrict the area's economic growth, several options are on the table for easing the city's air traffic congestion.

A spokesman said one option Mayor Bloomberg is throwing his support behind is a plan that could replace some airline shuttles that fly to and from East Coast cities with seaplanes — fixed-winged aircraft that take off and land on water — which could be used to pull traffic off overcrowded runways at the three regional airports that serve New York. More...

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and who will build these seaplanes....

Maybe Boeing can reopen the B314A line?

http://www.boeing.com/history/boeing/m314.html

With the European competition coming from Shorts Brothers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Sunderland

Ethopian 767's are capable of landing on water, no? Ooopps sorry... bad taste :(

Mike

Berievs anyone? I think Bloomie must be back on da weed. Someone ought to tell him that just because you're a billionaire, it doesn't mean all your ideas are good or even feasible.

...Umm, no.... Why would airlines buy seaplanes just for the NY area that wouldn't work anyplace else? Or are we planning to take a step back in time and use all seaplanes??

Probably the most stupid, yet hilarious idea I have heard in a long time!

Anyone up for the Hughes H4 "Spruce Goose"?

The article is actually not correct. There was service for a few yeasr on DownTown Airlines to Philadelphia and Washington DC via Twin Otters (and smaller).

The choice of aircraft is a real stumbling block here, but I am sure many passengers would pay for service to Manhattan rather than EWR or LGA.

If the Berievs' economics worked out right, that would be a happy coincidence, but otherwise there just are not enough Grummans left and they are old.

It depends what volume Bloomberg is envisioning. Why not open Gov sland for some regional traffic (no seaplane as well)?

At some point the tilt rotro will enter commercial service and no reason not to land alongside manhattan at an expanded heliport.

Tom

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Originally Posted by Tom_Turner

At some point the tilt rotor will enter commercial service and no reason not to land alongside manhattan at an expanded heliport.

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That's when you will see downtown to downtown air service become a reality. A civilian version of an Osprey-like aircraft would be perfect for this type of service. I imagine Bell may have something like this on the drawing board to roll out once the Osprey gets some experience.

Might you be referring to the Bell Agusta 609? :D

http://www.bellagusta.com/air_ba_main.cfm

http://www.bellagusta.com/pdf/BA609_2004.pdf

But now comes the issue of persuading the other cities to make water landings and also the issue of security and having planes landing TOWARD NYC and if someone really wanted they could just accelerate out of the dock and hit something.

image the US shuttle flying Beriev airplanes? would be interesting... can anyone do a fantasy scheme?

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Originally Posted by Tom_Turner

The article is actually not correct. There was service for a few yeasr on DownTown Airlines to Philadelphia and Washington DC via Twin Otters (and smaller).

The choice of aircraft is a real stumbling block here, but I am sure many passengers would pay for service to Manhattan rather than EWR or LGA.

If the Berievs' economics worked out right, that would be a happy coincidence, but otherwise there just are not enough Grummans left and they are old.

It depends what volume Bloomberg is envisioning. Why not open Gov sland for some regional traffic (no seaplane as well)?

At some point the tilt rotro will enter commercial service and no reason not to land alongside manhattan at an expanded heliport.

Tom

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there is river service to the hamptons and CT, it's called shoreline aviation and they fly C-208s. definately a cool job!

Canada tried downtown to downtown service between Montreal and Toronto with flights between Toronto-Island and a STOLPort built on Quay Victoria (right next to the business district). It didn't work.

Not even baseball works in Montreal.

EDIT: That was dumb.

We need some waterports but not near NYC. We could have them land in Jamaica Bay? Or open up CGAS again and put unused space to work. I know it is the old CG station but it has 3 runways all near 5200\' that with some fresh asphalt could probably hold A fully loaded MD-88. They need ~5000\' of stopping distance with 140K lbs. of payload.

The FAA won't allow Floyd Bennett to open as an airport again.
Too close to JFK.

Sea-planes landing on the inner harbor is not really a major security or logistical issue.

The only question is if it would be viable commercially.

I would think that it would be a better option than getting seaplanes. Although, small companies could start up because of the seaplane operations.