ISLAMABAD, March 24: A gliding club introduced the region’s first flying boat at the Khanpur Dam near here on Friday. Maj (retd) Syed Hamid Raza, chief executive of the Hawk Gliding Club, at the launching ceremony said the two-seater inflatable boat can operate from water as well as from land.

A hang glider attached above the boat with a motor make the boat fly up to three hours and to the height of 12,000 feet, he said.

It can also be used as a power boat carrying four people at the maximum speed of 80Km per hour.

Maj Raza said the main purpose was providing joy rides to people at Khanpur Dam, Mangla Dam and Kallar Kahar by qualified instructors. “The flying boat is an exciting way to travel for adventure, discovery, work and fun for the whole family,” he said.

He described the venture as “a big initiative” taken by the government, through the ministry of culture and sports. He claimed the government’s “full backing” in setting up a federation, namely ‘The Pakistan Air Adventure Sports Federation (PAASF)’, which has been affiliated and registered by the ministry of culture and sports.