Wings over Windermere
See the replica Waterbird take flight from Windermere on 5th and 6th September 2025
Following the historic previous public flights of Waterbird, the team are delighted to announce another opportunity for you to see this award-winning replica seaplane take to the air.
In accordance with Permissions granted by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Lake District National Park Authority, our flying displays will take place on Windermere, Waterbird’s home, on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th September from 6:45 pm.
Spectators will also enjoy a flying display by a second, more modern seaplane, the Aviat Husky, showing the long legacy that Waterbird inspired.
The viewing area will be at Brockhole on Windermere, framing the seaplanes against the magnificent Langdale Pikes.
If you’d like to join us and share this amazing aviation experience, here is everything you need to know:
What is Waterbird?
Waterbird is the only airworthy replica seaplane of its era anywhere in the world. Apart from the modern engine/propeller, it faithfully recreates the detail of the original Waterbird from 1911, when it was the first seaplane to successfully fly in the UK. It was commissioned by Edward Wakefield from A. V. Roe & Co (‘Avro’) as a landplane and converted to a seaplane at Windermere, where the pilot was Herbert Stanley Adams.
Why is Waterbird significant?
Waterbird is one of a kind. The oldest original seaplanes still flying are a 1929 Hamilton Metalplane H-47 floatplane in the USA and a 1935 Caproni Ca.100 floatplane in Italy. Also, there is a 1930 Sikorsky S-39 restoration in the USA. There is no other airworthy original, restoration or replica seaplane anywhere in the world that dates from within the era of 25 years from 1911.
When is Waterbird flying?
The flight window opens at 6:45 pm on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th September. It’s a sight not to be missed!
What can I expect?
As with previous flights, the Waterbird demonstrations will be brief but breath-taking. Please remember that this is a delicate, historic aeroplane, and that this is a demonstration of its remarkable capabilities, not an aerobatic flying display. During each sequence, Waterbird will take off from the water, fly at up to 100 feet in a straight line along the lake, then land on the water, showing the remarkable capabilities of this early seaplane.
