Flying Hovercraft sails into the market
by Jeni Bone on 5 May 2012
Something for the person who has everything - a Hovercraft! SW
Not for the faint-hearted, this latest incarnation of the hovercraft glides over land and water yet also soars in the air up to 70 mph with the aid of integrated wings - and it can be yours for just US$190,000.
A 130-hp twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled gasoline engine - turbocharged and fuel-injected - drives its 60' wood/carbon composite thrust propeller while a 1,100-rpm 34' lift fan inflates its durable vinyl-coated nylon skirt for hovering above the ground.
Operating in fresh- or saltwater and up to 30% inclines over sand, mud, grass, swamp, desert, ice, and snow, its wings and horizontal elevator enable pilots to simply hop over water- or land-based obstacles up to 20'-high unsurmountable to a typical hovercraft.
A joystick controls three vertical rudders and the elevator, a twist friction-lock throttle controls forward speed, and a variable drive system controls the lift fan for hovering. Braking is provided by lowering the lift fan's rpms; comes to rest on Kevlar composite landing skids. Its low center of gravity and composite fiberglass/PVC hull enable it to operate in winds up to 25 mph and waves up to 6' when in flight.
Two nine-gallon gasoline tanks provide a 160-mile range. Supports pilot/passenger payloads up to 600 lbs. for flight. Requires registration as a boat. Special conditions and guarantee limitations apply.
It measures 19' L x 7'8' W x 6'6', weighs 1,100 lbs and is priced at US$190,000.
More at http://www.hammacher.com/Product/11933
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