Hovercraft is a vessel that rises above the water surface due to air forced under the hull. The design was proposed in 1716 by Swedish scientist E. Swedenborg. Since the mid-20th century, such "boats" have been used by the Navy in rescue operations.
Using the example of a Ukrainian-made hovercraft, we decided to tell more about this type of transport. In many countries, such vessels are used to transport people in shallow waters where a car cannot pass, and a boat cannot go either. Mainly for fishing, hunting, delivering goods and people when different types of surfaces alternate along the way and it is impossible to overcome them by car. Thanks to the multifunctionality of such vehicles, they have won the hearts of the military, fishermen, and simply outdoor enthusiasts.
Operating principle
The air cushion allows the vessel to lift above the water or ground surface. The higher it lifts, the less the owner of such a vehicle has to worry about the surface beneath it.
There are three types of hovercraft:
- Amphibious. They can lift off the surface during movement, thanks to the flexible skirt of the air cushion and the presence of air propellers.
- Non-amphibious. The skirt is rigid, so going ashore is excluded; they operate only on water.
- Mixed type. They have an air propeller, but instead of a flexible skirt, inflatable balloons are installed.
To create thrust in hovercraft, air propellers are often used, which in turn are driven by an engine. The propellers are located at the stern of the vessel. As for inflating the cushion, there are several methods, but the simplest and therefore most common is the chamber method. In this case, air forced by a fan under the dome-shaped hull flows out freely along its perimeter. The greater the air supply, the higher the vessel rises.
What a hovercraft can do
Before you is a hovercraft "Tornado". Notably, it is of Ukrainian production. A small company from Mykolaiv is engaged in the design and construction of such vehicles.
There are two models named Tornado F-50, which differ only in power units. The letter R in the name means a Russian engine with 52 horsepower, and the prefix I implies the presence of an Italian-made engine with 54 horsepower. Anyone who has ever ridden a motorcycle or jet ski can operate such a boat.
How the familiarization test of the Ukrainian hovercraft went:
As for the price, depending on the configuration, the Tornado F-50 will cost at least 17 thousand dollars. In principle, this is cheaper than a snowmobile, boat, and jet ski combined... and during rush hour you can easily cross from the Left to the Right Bank of the capital. On the other hand, for these and other purposes, a BRDM would also suffice. Read our article about how much BRDMs and BTRs cost in Ukraine.
