From Lake Zug into the air

Seaplanes took off on scenic flights at the weekend to celebrate a historic occasion

Aviation was still in its infancy in 1912. As there were very few airfields at that time, some pilots tried out landing on water. The French-Swiss aviation pioneer René Grandjean achieved the first water landings on Lake Zug 110 years ago – and this must have been a huge spectacle for the generation of Zug residents on the lakeshore at the time.

The Association of Swiss Seaplane Pilots (SPAS) took this event as a occasion to organise a historic seaplane meeting last weekend in the Hirsgarten in Cham.

Permits are hard to get
Heinz Sägesser is President of the SPAS, and explained the special character of this event: "Flying from water is nowadays hardly ever actively practiced in Switzerland and the surrounding countries. There are only a few bodies of water on which planes can land, and this requires a lot of administrative effort. Wangen-Lachen on the upper shore of Lake Zurich is the only defined landing area for seaplanes in the country – our pilots train mainly in remote regions of the USA and Canada."

He also explained that this meeting was deliberately not promoted: "First and foremost, we wanted to convey the tradition and beauty of seaplanes to the population. In the past, however, some people have expressed problems with our passion, and have tried to thwart such occasions – that's why we were deliberately inconspicuous."

A total of four aircraft with sightseeing flights were in operation this weekend:

"Even the sudden rain showers didn’t detract from the mood. It’s great that the municipality of Cham is offering us this opportunity."

A plane lands on the lake.              
This aircraft is flown by Heinz Sägesser, President of the SPAS, Seaplane Pilots Association Switzerland, here together with his daughter Carole Mäder.
Many photos were taken
The planes have to go out onto the lake to take off.
The models are looked after with a lot of love                      Photos: Matthias Jurt

Incidentally, the first seaplane landing in Switzerland was carried out by Ad Astra Aero, the forerunner of Swissair, says Sägesser: "At the time, the route ran from the Zürichhorn via Lucerne and the Brünig to Bömigen near Interlaken."

Noise factor is not a problem
Two boat-shaped, slender floats connected to the aircraft fuselage allow the seaplanes to take off and land on water. Hans Meer from Steinhausen is also fascinated: "I wanted to see with my own eyes the effect these seaplanes have on me. They made a big impression on me."

Bruno Rüedi is the Event Coordinator and explained that the SPAS organises around four to six such events a year: "The meetings of our seaplanes are always rustic, sociable and, according to our feedback, are always popular with the local population. The planes are actually quieter than motorboats."

The members of the association are usually pilots who have completed additional training as seaplane pilots, and the club was able to welcome a special guest this weekend: "A passionate seaplane fan from India is flying to Switzerland for a few days and will spend this weekend with us," explained Bruno Rüedi with a wink.

Model airplanes also took off
They are much smaller than the seaplanes but no less entertaining –some model aeroplanes flew daring pirouettes in the Hirsgarten, almost silently. Werner Glanzmann, chairman of the Zugerland model aircraft group, points out the beauty of the equipment: "Many model aircraft come from the prestigious Dornier company and are characterised by a high level of detail and extensive construction effort."

The group has many passionate members, from young to old. This hobby is very versatile and requires a lot of craftsmanship and manual skills, as well as a knowledge of electronics.