Hellenic Seaplanes

Hellenic Seaplanes is a Greek seaplane company established in Athens in May 2013 after Greece introduced a legal framework for water aerodromes and seaplane operations through Law 4146/2013. The company was founded by Nicolas Charalambous and has positioned itself around the development of a domestic seaplane network capable of linking Greek islands, coastal communities, mainland destinations and selected inland lakes. The company’s operating concept combines aviation services with infrastructure development. In addition to flight operations, it has described an integrated model involving aircraft maintenance, pilot and aviation training, and the development or support of water aerodromes. Its headquarters are in Kallithea, Athens, while its maintenance base is at Megara General Aviation Airport. This structure is intended to support a distributed network rather than a conventional hub-and-spoke airline based solely at a major airport. Hellenic Seaplanes has identified several potential revenue streams. These include scheduled passenger flights, sightseeing tours, private and charter flights, transfers to resorts, freight and courier services, and medical evacuation missions. The seaplane model is particularly suited to Greece’s geography, where numerous islands and coastal settlements can be difficult or time-consuming to reach by land and conventional air transport. Direct port-to-port connections could reduce the need for transfers through Athens or larger island airports while also creating an additional tourism product. The company has described a nationwide development plan covering ten broad regions: Central Greece and Attica; Crete; Thrace and the North Aegean islands; Macedonia; Epirus; the Dodecanese; the Peloponnese; the Ionian Islands and Western Greece; the Cyclades; and Thessaly. The stated long-term objective is to connect ports, islands, coastal cities and lakes through a combination of scheduled and on-demand services. Its aircraft plans have included amphibious versions of the Cessna 208 Caravan and de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter. The Caravan is a single-engine turboprop designed for light regional operations and can accommodate up to 12 passengers in the configuration described for the company. The Twin Otter is a twin-engine amphibious aircraft with capacity for up to 19 passengers and is widely suited to short-field and water operations. These aircraft support both regular connectivity and flexible charter or sightseeing missions. For summer 2024, Hellenic Seaplanes announced sightseeing activity around Corfu and nearby destinations including Paxos, Antipaxos and the Diapontian Islands, together with scheduled service between Corfu and Paxos. It also described charter possibilities involving water airports, water fields and conventional airports in the Ionian Sea, the Peloponnese and Western Greece. The company’s brand identity uses a stylized seagull and blue coloring associated with Greece, while the tagline “Connecting Greece” expresses its intended role in linking maritime destinations. The scale and timing of its network remain dependent on regulatory approvals, water-aerodrome infrastructure and operational deployment.

Hellenic Seaplanes was founded in Athens in May 2013 by Nicolas Charalambous. Its creation followed the passage of Greek legislation establishing a framework for water aerodromes and seaplane operations. The legal change created the possibility of a commercial seaplane sector in Greece, where the geography of dispersed islands, long coastlines and remote communities offers a potential use case for amphibious aircraft. From its foundation, the company presented itself as more than a flight operator. Its stated strategy included flight operations, aircraft maintenance, training and the development of water-aerodrome infrastructure. The headquarters were established in Kallithea, Athens, and the company identified Megara General Aviation Airport as its maintenance base. The combination of an operational base and a water-aerodrome development program was intended to support a national network of maritime landing points rather than isolated tourist flights. Hellenic Seaplanes described a broad service portfolio comprising scheduled routes, sightseeing, private and charter flights, resort transfers, freight and courier services, and medical evacuation. The proposed network was designed to connect ports and coastal locations directly, potentially improving access to destinations that are not efficiently served by conventional scheduled aviation. Tourism was also central to the concept, because aerial excursions and direct island transfers could function as visitor experiences as well as transportation. In 2020, the company stated that its ambitions extended across the Greek mainland, islands and lakes. Its planning framework divided the country into ten regions, including Attica and Central Greece, Crete, the North Aegean, Macedonia, Epirus, the Dodecanese, the Peloponnese, the Ionian Islands and Western Greece, the Cyclades and Thessaly. This plan indicated an intention to build a geographically extensive operation, although the practical rollout depended on water-aerodrome approvals, infrastructure, aircraft availability and regulatory conditions. The aircraft types associated with the company’s plans included the amphibious Cessna 208 Caravan and de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter. The Caravan configuration described for Hellenic Seaplanes accommodates up to 12 passengers, while the Twin Otter configuration accommodates up to 19. Their amphibious capability allows operations from water surfaces as well as conventional airfields, supporting short regional connections and flexible charter missions. For summer 2024, Hellenic Seaplanes announced a set of activities centered on Corfu. These included sightseeing over Corfu and surrounding islands such as Paxos, Antipaxos, Mathraki, Ereikoussa and Othonoi, a planned scheduled service between Corfu and Paxos, and charter flights to destinations in the Ionian Sea, the Peloponnese and Western Greece. The company’s brand identity uses a stylized seagull, blue national-color references and the “Connecting Greece” tagline. Its continuing development reflects an effort to establish seaplanes as a complementary mode of Greek regional transport and tourism.

• 2024

  Corfu-area services planned

  [1]Hellenic Seaplanesen.wikipedia.org

  The company announced planned sightseeing operations around Corfu and nearby islands, a Corfu–Paxos scheduled route and charter services in western and southern Greece.

• 2020

  Nationwide seaplane network described

  [1]Hellenic Seaplanesen.wikipedia.org

  The company outlined an ambition to connect Greek islands, coastal cities and lakes through passenger, tourism and other seaplane services.

• 2013

  Company established in Athens

  [1]Hellenic Seaplanesen.wikipedia.org

  Hellenic Seaplanes S.A. was established in May 2013 by Nicolas Charalambous following Greek legislation creating a framework for water aerodromes and seaplane operations.

A Greek regional mobility and tourism operator using amphibious aircraft and water-aerodrome infrastructure to connect islands, coastal destinations, mainland communities and lakes.

• Passenger air transport

  Scheduled seaplane flights

  Regular passenger services intended to connect Greek islands and coastal destinations with one another and with the mainland. The planned network is based on direct port-to-port or water-aerodrome connections, which could provide an alternative to longer ferry journeys or indirect conventional-airline itineraries.

• Tourism aviation · 2024

  Sightseeing flights

  Aerial sightseeing experiences using amphibious aircraft to view island and coastal landscapes. For summer 2024, the company identified Corfu and surrounding destinations including Paxos, Antipaxos and the Diapontian Islands as areas for sightseeing activity.

• On-demand aviation

  Charter and private flights

  Customizable flights for private customers, groups, resorts and other clients. The company has described charter access to water airports, water fields and conventional airports across the Ionian Sea, the Peloponnese and Western Greece.

• Tourism transport

  Resort transfers

  Direct seaplane transfers intended to move visitors between coastal arrival points, islands and resorts. This service is part of the company’s broader strategy to combine regional mobility with tourism logistics.

• Specialized aviation services

  Freight, courier and medical evacuation services

  Specialized missions proposed alongside passenger operations, including freight and courier transportation and medical evacuation. These services would use the flexibility of amphibious aircraft to reach islands and coastal communities that may have limited direct transport options.

• Aircraft fleet

  Cessna 208 Caravan amphibious aircraft

  A single-engine turboprop amphibious aircraft identified in the company’s fleet plans. The described configuration can carry up to 12 passengers and is intended for light regional, charter and sightseeing missions.

• Aircraft fleet

  de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter amphibious aircraft

  A twin-engine amphibious regional aircraft identified for Hellenic Seaplanes operations. The described configuration provides up to 19 passenger seats and is suited to water operations, short routes and variable conditions.

• 2024

  Introduce Corfu-area sightseeing and Corfu–Paxos servicesProduct launch

  Background

  The company sought to begin visible regional operations in the Ionian Islands, combining tourism flights with a scheduled island connection.

  Action taken

  It announced sightseeing flights around Corfu and nearby islands, a planned scheduled Corfu–Paxos route and customized charter flights in western Greece.

  Aftermath

  The announcement marked a proposed initial operating focus for the company’s broader Greek seaplane network.

  Source

• 2020

  Develop a nationwide port-to-port seaplane networkStrategy

  Background

  The company described a strategy to link Greek islands, coastal cities and lakes through transport and tourism flights.

  Action taken

  Hellenic Seaplanes organized its prospective operating footprint into ten Greek geographic regions and proposed a mix of scheduled, charter and specialized services.

  Aftermath

  The plan established the company’s national positioning, while implementation remained dependent on water-aerodrome infrastructure, approvals and operational deployment.

  Source

1. 1Hellenic Seaplanesen.wikipedia.org