Flying in the Maldives - World’s Largest Seaplane Operation
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- čas přidán 29. 12. 2023
- I hopped on TransMaldivian Airways Twin Otter seaplane flying around the Maldives with some of the best views! However, the sunny weather changed and I encountered some rough weather in paradise.
TransMaldivian is the world’s largest seaplane operator with 65 seaplanes from its base in Male, Maldives. Seaplane operation is crucial for tourism in the Maldives. I managed some plane spotting at the seaplane terminal before boarding my flight. The seaplane pilots in the Maldives wear shorts and sandals to fly and earned the nickname “barefoot pilot”
My flight was commanded by Captain Saif, who flew us to 3 resorts and back. We took off from the seaplane runway, flew over Male city, headed South and went as low as 500 feet for some beautiful sightseeing. Shortly before our landing at the first resort, the weather changed with rain showers in the area.
The turnaround time at each resort was just 5-10 minutes like a bus operation. Our next stop was the LUX resort where we were welcomed by a team of staff. The weather deteriorated rapidly so we have to quickly depart. The visibility was too low to land at our last stop. We had to divert to land in a lagoon and docked on a platform in the middle of the choppy sea. It was a very unexpected experience in paradise!
I had never ever imagined I would land on a platform rocking in the sea soaking wet in the heavy downpour…
Grateful for the opportunity to fly you. A pleasure navigating the skies together for a unique aviation experience for your viewers. I'm glad it showcases the hard work we do for our passengers on challenging days. Thank you for the adventure Sam! Hope to see you again. And Happy New Year!
Very good pilot
You’re a very handsome man 😉
@@diorcolon8543he has a job and probably a wife and kids
If u didn’t mean it like that then sorry
@@Progamerj175 So? I’m only giving him a compliment not asking to marry me 🤣
What a great pilot you are @sight5323! Beautiful flying all around Maldives.
I am a retired pilot but would love to fly there!! Great job captain! What a beautiful place. ❤
Fun fact: Many of these Twin Otters used to be with an airline in Guatemala. Used to fly these planes a lot at the time as they were the perfect aircraft for the dirt runways to visit Mayan ruins. They were all purchased in one big transaction years ago and they flew all the way from Guatemala to the Maldives. That's a long flight!
Thats an interesting fact. I ran the dock for the largest radial fleet in the world at one time in ketchikan alaska we had 10 otters 10 beavers 3 185 and the first soloy turbine 206 conversion built. These planes all have a story wonderful job
Wow! I’m always amazed by the lives planes live…
Real pilots!!!, real flying, teamwork, super video shots, awesome music - happy new year, Sam🥂
Happy new year!
@SamChui
What's temperature these days ,,, THX ❤
and to think in how many years those little islands will no longer have people on them as they will be 6 feet or more underwater.
THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY HOME COUNTRY ❤❤❤ Love from the Maldives 🇲🇻🇲🇻 Hope you enjoyed the paradise of the world
I can’t wait to visit. Looks amazing.
It’s a Country of CHEATERS and Terrorists
Sam, I’d love to see the maintenance operation. With those aircraft in salt water all the time, the work to keep them going has to be staggering.
I would like to see that too.
First of all this is great "climate protection" and "sustainability" 😂
As a seaplane maintenance technician in Maldives, i can confirm that these sea planes have a very high rate of corrosion, preventive maintenance is extensive such as using water resistant grease on all exposed areas and many other measures to prevent corrosion.
@@Axel-Jettsay hello to Babu in the engine shop, also Didi and Ahmed!
I worked there with those guys in 2004/05, and again in 2009 at Airtaxi
Every 125 hours according to flight maintenance
Hi! Sam, what an incredible video. Simply awesome 👍🏻 First time seeing such a plane and pilots in slippers having such a great teamwork to fly all passengers to their destinations safely. Kudos! for their dedication and commitment to their profession👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Sam, Thank You for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@SamChui Always interesting. Happy New Year, Sam 🥂🎊🎉🎈
Now that’s some real flying. Thank you Sam for sharing incredible experience with us.
much respect for these pilots working in all sorts of weather and the resort staff aswell. communication is a great skill and these guys doing great. Thanks you too Sam for showing these hardworking people of the amazing maldives. Happy new year and up to more cool vids in 2024
After watching this video, I feel like I spent the whole day in the Maldives. The sounds of waves, soft sand and emotional moments - all of them are perfectly conveyed in the frames. It's incredible the power such a beautiful place can have. It's definitely worth adding the Maldives to your list of places to visit in your life!
The vortices on those propellers on take-off are so cool! Awesome operations they have there, so professional. 👏
I have been to the Maldives, a wonderful place. I can't wait to go back. I left my heart there.
Love how casual the atmosphere is reminded me of flying in Rhodesia Zambia and Malawi on chartered light planes to game reserves 45 years ago! Thanks wonderful experience
Incredible scenery and a great adventure.
Thanks so very much Sam for sharing this with us. Its very interesting. I learned a lot.
Thank you for making such amazing content, Sam! Looking forward to more amazing adventures for you in 2024!!
Now I know where all the Twin Otters retired to. For a DH6 lover like me this is paradise.
Thanks Sam have a healthy and prosperous new year.
I Respect pilot the crew and their hospitality.
So disappointing in Greece 🇬🇷 , with so many beautiful islands we do not have such infrastructure ..
Great Video , Thank you Sam 😊
Thankyou Sam for my last video for 2023 from you! LOVED IT! Can’t see myself affording to ever go to the Maldives, so Thankyou . Happy New Year! From Perth Western Australia
Absolutely brilliant, I didn't realise they had so many seaplanes there , thanks Sam!
The audio from the cockpit was AMAZING! 🤩
Now that's some real flying. Thank you Sam for sharing you amazing experience with us😊
Great video Sam! I’ve always wanted to go to the maldives! This makes me want to go more!
You should!
We loved our time in the Maldives! Beautiful place, beautiful people.
I have never been a fan of seaplanes until I saw that footage. Great work by the pilot, the first officer, and excellent footage by Sam. Thanks
this was a great video. As a ramp staff working for a seaplnae operation I just enjoyed seeing the operations in different conditions. just amazing. would love to see more of this.
When I was in The Maldives, I spent a lot of time watching those seaplanes come and go. Couldn't get enough of them!
Thanks Sam, love your content this time,very entertaining and informative…..❤
One of the best airplane & pilot video & this is what real flying is about. This would be my dream job if I was 30 years younger
Visited the Maldives for scuba diving this summer, and went on a seaplane from Maldivian to the Raa-Atoll. They flew regardless being VFR at 3.000 ft through the clouds. 😅Amazing place to be, especially as a private pilot. This video brings back so much amazing memories. ❤Thank you Sam! 😃
Straight from Brazil to appreciate your work and say how wonderful it is to have so many hydroplanes in one place
thanks for this Sam...very much appreciated. All the way from Trinidad & Tobago
The cyclone that’s coming off the prop from the rain is badass!!
This is one of your Top 5 Vids in my opinion. So cool to watch. Thankyou!!!
Heaven on earth is maldives...
Very cordial and good ambiance on this ground....lovely place to spend time on leisure trip.
Sam, this looks like a pilot's paradise......thank you for the great video ❤
Two great experiences in one, air and sea. It gives a sense of freshness all the way
Definitely one of my favorite videos you have ever shown. Thank you for sharing such a unique flying experience!
I flew for TMA in the early 2000s. It was cool being part of the bare foot pilots. WOW things have definitely changed. That parking and terminal area is beautiful. Cool video. Safe Flying from Canada 🇨🇦 👍
It really changed after the Tsunami and again after BlackRock bought TMA And MAT then merged them.
@madmotoadv6595 very cool. Lots of time spent on Sun Island and my favorite at the time Soniva Fushi. Loved my whole time there. Long live the Twin Otter.
Hey brother I’m considering applying for this airline once I finish flight school. Do you have any tips, or what’s their current position on hiring foreigners as I’m in Australia
No words to describe but Simply Awesome video. Thanks Sam!
Amazing experience Sam, enjoyed every moment, even at such small distances weather can change and great to know that there are set operational procedures for any eventuality !
We’ve been there two months ago and also used to fly with a seaplane. We loved it and it was an amazing vacation we’ll definitely do again and again and again. Thanks for this amazing video!
Another travel destination to my bucket list. What a beautiful place, breathtaking!
I always learn so much about aviation from your videos, I like that the pilots really open up about operations
wow Incredible scenery, thanks for sharing, cheers to many more avgeek adventures in the upcoming year!
Thank you!
Currently in the Maldives watching the seaplanes from my sun lounger - great teamwork and video 🇬🇧
What an interesting and fascinating look at the Maldives Seaplanes, and their operations! So far I’ve only stayed at resorts within speedboat distance from MLE. After seeing this, I will likely stay elsewhere to have the seaplane experience. Also, it’s so well managed! A really great and informative video! Thanks, Sam!
I'm a aviation photographer from Cape Town South Africa with a love for flying. If I had my licence this would be the kind of job I'd enjoy.
That was awesome and how good was it that you and Nonstop Dan were on the same flight, love his vlogs!!
This is an AWESOME episode. We so rarely get any exposure to making trips by sea plane. Thanks for this. Your pilots and crew seemed amazing! - Gee in Sonoma, CA
Very cool. Thank you Sam.
Water landing to the floating platform. Wow. 😲 Unfavorable weather conditions added so many details to otherwise very beautiful video. Good job, Sam. 🛩️🌴👍
As always Sam, you shared an incredible videos. Keep up the great contents and thank you for the videos.
Love me these DHC twin otters... i have done more than a hundred flights around and across the Maldives. Every flight is a new thrill. Nowhere else in the world you would experience this
@SamChui
Hi Sam, indeed, but not forgetting another 2 operators here so we have a little over 90 DHC6 Twin Otter on floats flying here in the Maldives: personally, I have been here for 28 years and flew for Maldivian Air Taxi, Trans Maldivian Airways, Maldivian Seaplanes and now Manta Air. It is an amazing pretty well-oiled machine and even though we face a tough time with the change of monsoon season as you experienced, we nearly always get our passengers in & out.
Great Video and a big thank you for sharing (it's definitely passing along all my pilot friends and colleagues)!
ca fait vraiment plaisir de découvrir le monde avec vous
Best end of year adventure ever
c'est toi le champion avec la détermination et l'engagement que vous avez rien ne peux t'arrêter
Voilà champion
depuis le kamerun mon pays natal
237 je vous passe mes encouragements
Great video Sam. Have fun in Maldives and a great new year. Cheers.🍺
First off WOW! 🤩 Two of my favorite CZcamsrs Dan & Sam! 😮 Also that Emirates 🇦🇪 Premium Economy looks pretty epic on that GORGEOUS 777-300ER! 🎉
Also at 2:06 that is NOT FULLY TRUE! The World’s Largest, Busiest Seaplane Base in the world is actually located on Lakes Hood & Spenard in Anchorage Alaska. Home to more than 190 seaplane flights per day Lake Hood followed closely by Lake Spenard with 176 seaplane flights per day make up the LARGEST floatplane operation in the world and the airlines that operate there are the BUSIEST Seaplane Operators on earth Trans-Maldives is only the largest seaplane operator by total fleet size and not by much, Harbor Air located in Vancouver, BC, Canada 🇨🇦 is the Second Largest flying De Havilland Canada Twin Otter, Otter & Beaver aircraft and only 9 planes short of the largest by fleet size, the same can be said about Air Tindi also of Canada 🇨🇦 but from Yellowknife they fly De Havilland Canada being Twin Otter, Otter & Beaver Aircraft… Also you have Kenmore Air from Washington State 🇺🇸 only 10 short of the biggest flying DHC Classic Beaver, Turbine Beaver and Piper J3 Supercub with floats and finally the fifth largest operator Rust’s Flying Service, this sightseeing and primary transportation airline is essential to the remote geographical challenges of Alaska and headquartered on Lake Hood in Anchorage AK.
I know a lot about seaplanes and I am working towards my seaplane PPL rating so excuse the long comment!
Great video my friend!
Cheers 🥂
Caleb’s Aviation 😊
Thanks for your info. TransMaldivian has 65 Seaplane in their fleet, as the largest seaplane operator.
@@SamChui That's actually impressive, It's probably really nice to work for such an airline where you can be with comfortable clothing and fly through amazing places.
There was never any claim about largest seaplane base, just largest seaplane operator. How many operators run their seaplanes out of Anchorage, how many seaplanes per operator?
There was never any claim about largest seaplane base, just largest seaplane operator. How many operators run their seaplanes out of Anchorage, how many seaplanes per operator?
That's really interesting! Thanks for sharing that!
So fun watching this video Sam! Looks like you had a great time in the Maldives as well🙌
nonstsopdan! I think I saw you in DXB boarding a flight to the maldives. now Im sure it was you!
Great to see the 2 most famous YT channels make a video together Great work!!
Paradise on earth; so beautiful even in the rain ! Thanks for sharing Sam; hope you were able to enjoy a few sunny days for a vacation.
Wow. Amazing, Beautiful Maldive..
This is must experience if you visit the Maldives. I know some hotels are closer to MLE so they offer boat rides to their place BUT in my opinion a seaplane ride is a must if you travel to this incredible paradise! Great vid!
Happy new trae 2024 ,congratulations
Fantastic video as always Sam! 2023 has been an amazing year for aviation, and it's partly all thanks for your amazing content uploaded past these 365 days from country to country ( especially the final 747 delivery! ) Happy New Year and all the best for 2024✈️🥳😎
It always throws me when i see them taking of their flipflops. such good pilots, these planes are like taxis for them. some of the planes stay in some resorts for the night. always a pleasure to fly with you !
WOW! This is extremely exquisite, thanks a trillion Zillion times Sam Chui for this lovely video
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Sam.
Many congratulations on your wonderful video showing the seaplane operation in the Maldives.
I first visited 35 years ago and one of your stops (LUX) was my very first island all those years ago.
I have visited hundreds of times since then and would like to thank you for a great representation of how things work in the Maldives.
Richard
This is my favourite one you’ve ever done Sam, my dream to go there one day!
You have the best BTS footage Mr Chui. Amazing work.
Easily one of your best Vlogs!! Amazing...
So good. Thank you ! On my way in 2024! 😊. Brilliant operation
Sam this one is a amazing video. It's very very beautiful 😍 thank you so much for you 💯💪💪💪💪
Not everyday do you get to see the ocean planes. I like this.
Sam , That is one of the best vids you have done ... Bizarre !
Being a pilot in this area seems so cool!!
What a great duo great work Sam
YOU ARE THE KING MAN. I LOVE YOU, YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL. YOU ARE NUMBER 1 IN THE WORLD. TURKEY
Hi Sam, thanks for showing us incredible adventure of wonderworld probably we would not be able to see in our life for many reasons. I am wonder plane can take-off and land on off shore too, simply fantastic .
Planes and Boats but Planes that are boats is the one to love the most. these Islands are beautiful hope to see em in real life.
Good job, Mr. Chui with this video ! Great details.
Wow, that domestic airport has changed a lot since I was there in 2010 on my holiday, it was just a waiting hall with a cafe attached
A perfect video to start the New Year , Sam..❤
Another great video Sam!
Maldives is so beautiful I love the island 🏝️
Love this, Sam. And what a great thing that you and Dan were on the same Etihad flight!
Awssome. I worked as an AME for Harbour Air Seaplanes planes in the late 2000's so this brings back some awesome memories. . Would be cool if you could tour the maintenance side of their operation. .
Whoa, just saw the coolest seaplane pilot job!
Wow what a great time. I flew on Chalk's to Walkers Cay several times and just a few trips before the wing broke away over MIA and FAA shut them down for corrosion.
It's Marvelous Sam! I Think that this is a revival of the start of the commecial services whem Pan Am or B.O.A.C. use to flow the Sikorsky or the Shorts. Happy New Year!
Congratulations Maldives,you developed and yet maintain the Nature beauty ❤
Thank you for such an amazing video. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
As someone from maldives i really enjoyed the video ❤🇲🇻
Happy new year Sam!!. I hope you and your family, have all had a very Merry Christmas, all the best for 2024.
Alex.
I just love the bare feet on the rudder pedals 😂
Happy New Year 2024 ,Sam ; you and your family. Kevin Lee .amen
Thank you sir, a most enjoyable flight