Adriatic seaplane news - update

[9aplus]

See now....

You can book your flight online by mid of April 2014 on this website or in one of our ticket shops at all our destinations, which will open latest on the same date. Additionally you can gladly send us your individual request at sales@ec-air.eu.

[CaptainGoose]

Dear Seaplane fans,

I do enjoy most of your comments, especially those of Rajay, as I see he has at least some idea about aviation and getting a seaplane operation started. Some comments also give me a smile about the sarcasm of the ongoing process of ECA. Yes it is taking it´s time, but you can trust, it is not an easy undertaking to get a seaplane operation started in Europe.
Never the less the uneducated and destructive comments of Mr. "9aplus" are a shame for this seaplane forum. The comments and views of Mr. "9aplus" are nothing more then embarrassing for the seaplane community.
Most comments from Mr. "9aplus" in connection with ECA are wrong and misleading. Clearly Mr. "9aplus" has no information about ECA and the development. Basically he lacks knowledge of the entire project and certification process.

Best regards, Looking forward to see you all in Croatia.

Management
ECA

Muppet Show, goes on...

http://www.croatia-split.com/blog/what- ... lines.html

European Coastal Airlines d.o.o. has been registered as a Croatian airline company since the year 2000 (click here to see the court register).

TRUE

In 2002 European Coastal Airlines was in possession of an AOC (Airline Operations Certificate) for seaplane operation and was flying actively in Croatia. Several flights came to Split harbour.

TRUE, FALSE, FALSE

Now under the new EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) the AOC which is required by European Coastal Airlines is an AOC with a special permissions for water landings. European Coastal Airlines can only apply for this “special” AOC after European Coastal Airlines has at least 2 or 3 concessions. Only then there can be at 1 or 2 flight routes. With 2 or 3 concessions European Coastal Airlines can start the filing process for the AOC and submit the required information for the seaplane operation.

FALSE

So the facts are clear…….. the local authorities in Dalmatia are therefore responsible that European Coastal Airlines are up to this date still not even legally in a position to apply for this AOC with this special permissions because for over 3 years not 1 single concession has been issued.

FALSE

All the procedures in the certification process and in operating handbooks (OM-A) are specific for seaplane operation. The AOC procedure is clearly regulated by the EASA and is a clear and straightforward process. This is all controlled by EU regulations. There is no doubt that European Coastal Airlines will be granted an AOC by the authorities. Just like it was holding an AOC in the past. But the prerequisites is at least 2 or 3 concessions so at least 1 or 2 routes can be established.

FALSE

European Coastal Airlines understands some people may want us to have an AOC first, but this is simply legally not possible for the type of AOC and operation European Coastal Airlines will be applying for. In the final step of the AOC certification process a CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) inspector will sit in the plane and observe the flight, the passenger handling and the seaplane operation. How own earth does anyone think this can be done if there is no concession and not 1 single seaplane station and not 1 single route to be flown ?

FALSE

In addition it is also essential to know that EASA categorizes a twin engine turbine powered aircraft as a “complex” aircraft. The Twin Otter seaplane operated by European Coastal Airlines is a complex aircraft. On complex aircrafts landings off airfields can not be approved. Therefore all landing sites have to be approved by the CCAA before operation can commence. Therefore a concession for a location is required so the location can be approved.

FALSE

All documentation and applications for the AOC are ready and have been waiting for months to be submitted.

But once again……………. NO concession…………… No flight routes………….. NO AOC.

FALSE

Must read for ECA -> http://www.easa.europa.eu/flightstandards/air_ops.html
and -> http://ccaa.hr/default.aspx?id=97

[9aplus]

Never the less the uneducated and destructive comments of Mr. "9aplus" are a shame for this seaplane forum. The comments and views of Mr. "9aplus" are nothing more then embarrassing for the seaplane community.
Most comments from Mr. "9aplus" in connection with ECA are wrong and misleading. Clearly Mr. "9aplus" has no information about ECA and the development. Basically he lacks knowledge of the entire project and certification process.

Thank you Mr. Public relation, will see, 15.04. is close and you still did not made application for AOC....
Unfortunately we have some aviation related laws in 9A and EU.

Please let me know your AOC number and then from that date you
may sell something other than smoke....

Then who is going to perform Part 145 maintenance and where...

Than... more to come

In mean time you may continue with "marketing" similar to one during the
last 10+ years....

You are SHAME to profession.... who on earth can be ready to seat in your
service with such amount of misleads and wrong information-s.....

Kind Regards
9A+

[jjbaker]

Lets keep this free of personal insults and generalizations so I don't have to be a mean ass and lock this thread down.

9a - Nobody can expect ECA to remain silent and not speak up if they feel that their company is presented in a false light or damaging manner. Lets not get offensive or too personal. I would hope you'll participate on some of the 19000+ other discussion topics with as much gusto as in this thread, but overall, we won't call anyone a shame to the industry nor will anyone here make accusations or unsubstantiated claims with the intention to hurt a business. I know that this isn't your intention, so lets work on keeping the posts respectful.

GooseCaptain - You are welcome to engage my membership on this forum to show the other side of the coin as seen/ perceived by you and ECA. This is why I accepted your membership registration. However, I will not censor or remove any member for being inconvenient or blunt, nor will I see seaplaneforum.com as a entity dragged around to generalize that we (I/ any members/ seaplaneforum.com) are hateful or interested to see your operation fail.

Both: Expect nothing short of an allergic reaction from me for asking me to remove any member from this forum.
Hearing/ reading both sides is beneficial to clearing the air while allowing only one side of the story would be biased and an act of hypocrisy.

Let the politicians be professional hypocrites and remember that we're all in the same boat...

Regards,

[9aplus]

Fine with me... Jason, fully agree that we should be on the same boat, rowing ahead, thumb up

Let's hear the facts...

Info @Goose:
9A+ is member of Croatian aviation society
9A+ participating proactive in regulation within 9A
9A+ is member of EASA working groups, proactive promoting safety of operations

[9aplus]

@Goose:
This is from Croatian Law (in accordance to EU/EC directives and laws)

Nedopusteno oglasavanje i nudjenje usluga
Clanak 26.
Komercijalni zracni prijevoz i druge komercijalne operacije iz clanka 22. ovog Zakona smije oglasavati i obavljati samo poduzetnik registriran za obavljanje tih djelatnosti i kojem je Agencija izdala Operativnu licenciju ili drugu odgovarajucu svjedodzbu ili odobrenje.

Google translation:
Unauthorized advertising and offering of services
Article 26
Commercial air transport and other commercial operations from Article 22 of this Act may be advertised and performed only by operator registered to carry out these activities and that one have by Agency issued an operating license or other appropriate certificate or approval.

Now please explain to me and the rest of the members: What you are doing during last couple of years, or decade?

[9aplus]

No explanation.... as expected.

Let me help you, here we can find a list of authorized co-s:
http://www.ccaa.hr/download/documents/r ... olders_813
from here:
http://www.ccaa.hr/english/ovlastene-or ... oblje_350/
Last update end of JAN 2014.
In case of any questions, members have contact email available on the end of top link pdf document

[9aplus]

Some media update:
http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/Split/t ... fault.aspx

Translated:
http://translate.google.com/translate?s ... px&act=url

In short:
Local aviation community and Mayor of Split supported seaplane operations but not within congested Split port area.
Suggested solution is registration of public airport on water near LDSP Split airport, which can produce positive
environment similar to Male airport on Maldives.
CAA confirmed ECA have no AOC and no application yet... and to get AOC one need to wait 90 days after application is completed.
It is necessary to have at last one certified, non restricted aircraft in register before AOC application. (can be on long term leasing agreement, too)

- We are in permanent contact with the Agency for Civil Aviation. We're looking for a specialist AOC licensed operators hydroplane that requires first obtaining a concession locations and at least two sites that can fly from point A to point B. It's not our fault that we're waiting for three years to concessions!

By regulation two cases of landing on water are possible: Airport on water and/or Out of airport water landing
Therefore above claim is not true. AOC is NEVER related with airport or concession, in this particular case to airport on water.
AOC is related with at last one EASA certified for PAX aircraft (not Annex 2), licensed crew, and licensed maintenance crew
with proper organization (Part 145, CAMO)
Out of airport landing on water for commercial operation can be requested only by Operator with valid AOC.

It is not necessary to be SMART to conclude that ECA is doing wrong by ignorance to Law and Regulations
and 9A+ is not the one who is party breaker

[CaptainGoose]

Dear Mr. 9aplus,

this is the last time I´m gonna answer your postings, as they are clearly against our project, and you clearly have no idea what you are talking about, neither have you got any insight of current proceedings and what has been agreed with the Split County and the previous City administration.
And I don´t really have the time to waste on your comments.
I can not recall seeing you on one of the many meetings I had with the Zupan (Governor) of the county, or with the previous city council.
Please do yourself a favor, before you make yourself more to a clown and check the urbanistic spatial plan of the Split county. There you will clearly see that the Split count has marked the urbanistic plan with a seaplane port in the public harbour of Split. And by the way also in Resnik, at the Split harbour.
This County plan is the master plan and the overruling plan for the city.
The current plan was actually brought into force by the current Governor and the current Mayor.
Besides for international flights, like to Italy you are for immigration reasons not allowed to use any other area then the public port.
So please get yourself some education before you embarrass yourself even more.

Just for your information all these entries into the urbanistic spatial plan of Split county have been done because of the request from European Coastal Airlines.
Considering that to just build a normal house some people wait up to 5 years to just get a normal building permit we are just doing fine.

But you as a Croatian know this better then most people.

It is once again more then evident, that your motivation in this nice seaplane forum are full of hate and envy. I would recommend you look for a forum that is more against seaplane operation. That would suit you and your motivation better.

Please accept my apologies that I will no longer comment on your posting. It´s clearly a waste of time.

[9aplus]

What a great honour...

Big Bwana Capt. Goose is answering to one "poorly educated", "hate-full person" or "peasant" like me poor 9A+

Thank you, thank you Bwana...

Must inform you that my "humble uneducated person" till today has personally writed & signed
more than one paper what is going in favour of seaplane legislation and related public infrastructure development.
Including new EU Adriatic - Ionian macro-region traffic related strategy elements.
Unfortunately that not including floating lounge bars within heart of old Adriatic seaports which are obvious
target core of your business plan and seaplanes are there like some wanabe future service, if any at all.

Your poor knowledge of EU/9A Law-s or deliberate intention to skip over them, is your main enemy or better:
You made yourself greatest obstacle to project.
Particularly with:
- Insisting on places like Split-Matejuska or heart of Dubrovnik
- Misleading of public that you first need (Lounge bar) concessions to get an AOC
- Claiming that local community-city must accept what is within county master plans. (locations are included/moved over night in "strange" manner)
- With “blackmail” approach, to all political levels from local community to ministry of transportation level.

Public infrastructure will be there soon or later, you are more than welcome to finally buy or lease,
proper EASA certified seaplane, apply for AOC and start to operate.
Like operator, not a clown promising something against law* and law of physics**...

*advertising of service without AOC
**claim:"we will be able to fly without any issues, even when the regular ferry connections cannot operate", landing where?! ))))

PS I am available any time for coffee in Zagreb or Split or any place on Adriatic East coast, but please not within ECA floating lounge bars

[jjbaker]

Waaaay back in February 2015 - Looks like ECA is alive and well.

The Croatian prime minister first seaplane flight

February 27, 2015

Last week Croatian Prime Minister, Zoran Milanovic flew first by a seaplane. He was the first Prime Minister flying in Europe 2000’s. European Costal Airlines regular scheduled flight was from Split to Jelsa. Images of flight. Klaus Dieter Martin European Coastal Airlines CEO welcomed Prime Minister, Zoran Milanovic, the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Sinisa Hajdas Doncic and the Minister of Tourism, Darko Lorencin on their regular scheduled flight to Jelsa. It is 2 hours and 30 minutes by ferry road, just 13 minutes by seaplane.



European Coastal Airlines is a seaplane operator based in Zagreb, Croatia and found in the year 2000. Ever since it is working on the infrastructural project to start regular seaplane operations to connect major cities and islands along the croatian coast with each other. The project was recognized and is supported by various key figures of the European Union, such as namely the german chancellor Angela Merkel, as well as by the AdriSeaplanes project – a project which is co-funded by the European Union and the IPA – Adriatic Cross-Border Cooperation Program. The goal is to connect all 66 inhabited islands of Croatia as well as at a later stage expand operations to Italy, Monaco and Greece.



European Coastal Airlines has one DHC-6-300 Twin Otter amphibian aircraft. Perhaps the best testimony to the timelessness of the Twin Otter’s design is the fact that it remains today the largest-selling 19-passenger commuter airplane in the world. The de Havilland Twin Otter is a highly maneuverable, versatile aircraft which can be flown safely at various speeds from 140 to 320 kilometers.



First officer was popular Danish pilot Maria Amalie Wiuff, who has flown Maldiv Island earlier. Prime Minister offers her one’s felicitations.
The video talking about her work.



This summer seaplane is going to fly from Split to Jelsa five times a day.



After the Prime Minister’s visit the amphibian seaplane flew to Split International Airport.

Source: SeaplaneInternational.com

[9aplus]

Six months after ECA LA-4 crash politicians from above pictures lost elections
and pilot who managed to survive have to say something to public....

http://slobodnadalmacija.hr/Hrvatska/ta ... fault.aspx

https://translate.google.com/translate? ... t=&act=url

But, as in life, except for those who cheer and positive surprise there are those who get disappointed, as did Ivan disappointed in some people.

- I primarily think that on top people of European Coastal Airlines. They do in these months never visited, neither they asked me if I need any help,
any material of any moral.
Just as I've never worked with them, as if I was part of that team.
And I am heart and soul was in that company and I did not deserve their ingratitude.

[9aplus]

ECA grounded, please read and draw your own conclusions ...

http://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak/foto ... 12419.aspx

http://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak/nako ... 12580.aspx

PS
Regarding INOX, My serious concerns can go only on RUAG side, like lessor and main maintenance support....

[KlausNW]

This is what happens when there is no competition. Instead of complaining about how bad the company I worked for is I just start my own and do it better than my competitor. There is obviously a demand for air travel in the area, don't expect the government to do something about it.

[9aplus]

https://www.facebook.com/vandfly/posts/1091798884229673

Nordic Seaplanes grounded too (use of the same suspended ECA AOC)

[9aplus]

http://www.ccaa.hr/download/documents/r ... plova_2432
List of 9A operators on 2016 August 16
Over and Out....

[KlausNW]

I'm just asking, why are the pilots not going somewhere else that offer safer aircraft?

The pilot is the final say before, during and after a flight. If the aircraft are unsafe the pilot is responsible for the accident.

[RKittine]

There is a question that has haunted even operations / operators in the U.S. especially over the years with the regionals. Plenty of young pilots desperate to get on with a flying job (so much for the pilot shortage) have overlooked things to keep what they have.

Bob

[9aplus]

Once again, violation of local laws....

http://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak/imam ... 14183.aspx

[9aplus]

And this from USA too ->
http://setexasrecord.com/stories/510683 ... paid-bills

[9aplus]

In short.
ECA gained 9A AOC again but planes are not airworthy yet...
Afraid that there is not enough safety culture in ECA and CCAA together :P

All this facts can cost of approx 4-5 M euro of top season missing income, and approx 5-600k of EASA PAX repayment (250 euro each PAX with paid fare)

[KlausNW]

How is ECA going to keep operating without Pilots and Mechanics?

[9aplus]

More important question is how they can keep the planes if there is no income... to pay the lessors bills.
The main lessor is Ruag, with one amphibian and two float planes.

Another question about fuel just surfaced today. According the temporary report ECA Lake LA-4 crashed
because troubles around fuel and lack of organization within company.

In public communication yesterday CCAA have declared no regulator responsibility about aircraft refuelling,
which is not done by certified browser (INA) on main airport LDSP.
All is done from 1000 l trailer tanks which are bellow volume to be supervised by local lex specialis...

[9aplus]

Operation restored, so far with one float plane (look for 9A-TOE on FR24),
but they lost the place for maintenance in Divulje AF base...

[KlausNW]

A press release from Croatian seaplane operator, European Coastal Airlines on October 3, 2016.

European Coastal Airlines (ECA) paused operations for the time being to withhold further arbitrariness from administrational sources until operational environment is trustworthy to fly sustainably.
ECA therefore has suspended all domestic and international seaplane flights until further notice.

Split, Croatia 3rd of October 2016

As from August 2014 European Coastal Airlines has been rapidly expanding and within only 22 months opened and connected 15 destinations. More than 40.000 passengers have been safely and conveniently flown with Europe`s first scheduled seaplane operator. But ECA`s scope of business goes beyond that. By now European Coastal Airlines is operating more airports in South East Europe than anyone else, combining the knowledge of operating seaports and flight operations at once, only to make the experience for our passengers as unique as it can get.
Sadly, since 12th of August 2016 the flight operations of this revolutionary infrastructure project has been continuously disturbed, partly our entire fleet has been grounded for no justified reasons.
European Coastal Airlines has therefore addressed these issues and explained our situation to the government of the Republic of Croatia, seeking support and supervision to avoid further arbitrariness by administrational entities, preventing us to do what we do best, connecting Croatia and beyond.

Hence the shareholders of European Coastal Airlines do not see an alternative than to suspend operations for the time being. This comes at a high cost of almost every operational job within our company, however, we have been left with no other choice to protect the investment implemented till this very day.

Before August 12th of this year ECA had created 146 fulltime jobs; by 30th of November we will have cancelled 130 jobs. This means approx. 90% of our staff lost or will lose their jobs due to the wrongdoing of administrational entities.

ECA will no longer invest any funds into the Croatian seaplane project up until the administrational situation has been cleared and giving us the opportunity to operate in a safe and trustworthy marketplace.


It comes with the greatest regret to inform the public about these developments, nevertheless we feel the necessity to make everyone understand the situation we are in.

About European Coastal Airlines:

European Coastal Airlines - http://www.ec-air.eu - is a seaplane operator based in Split, Croatia. Founded in the year 2000, ECA provides regular seaplane services connecting major cities and islands along the Croatian coast and Italy. European Coastal Airlines is committed to maintain a high standard of business ethics, honesty and integrity in line with eco-friendliness and hence ensure social, ethical and environmental responsibility. Today European Coastal Airlines is operating 11 seaports and connecting 15 locations. Since 2014 ECA has invested 22 million Euros into this remarkable and unique infrastructure project in Europe, creating more than 140 full time jobs.

Please contact our Public Relations Department for further questions and information anytime:

Public Relations
Tel: +385 913227776
E-Mail: public.relations@ec-air.eu