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Recreational
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The use of hovercraft include Recreational, Search and Rescue
and Mass Transportation.
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The Hovercraft
A hovercraft, is a craft that operates above the surface of water or land. The hovercraft is supported on a cushion of air 4 to 8 feet thick. The air cushion is provided by a large fan that pushes air downward contained in a flexible skirt attached to the outside of the hovercraft. The skirt maintains the cushion by restraining the air. It makes the hovercraft appear to be operating only a few inches above the surface.
The hovercraft is moved forward by propellers mounted above the hovercraft or by control of the air exhaust through small openings around the skirt. Braking is controlled by reversing the pitch of the propeller or by changing the direction of airflow through the skirt vents.
Hovercraft are being used as passenger ferries, for instance across the English Channel, where they transport passengers, goods and vehicles across in less than half an hour. They are far less susceptible to wave motions even in bad weather and as such provide a much smoother crossing.
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Hovercraft, as we know them today, have been around for about half a century, since the 1950's, but have somehow never managed to get into the mainstream use of transportation. There are a few reasonsl for this like there inability to be maneuvered in a precise way and also they are very noisy. They also required a high level of maintenance compared to something like a car. In the last ten years there has been a significant increase in the construction and use of the hovercraft with many of the old difficulties solved or greatly improved. Modern air cushion vehicles are more trustworthy, more controllable, are fuel-efficient and eco-friendly and often low-cost compared to the automobile.
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