Hoverwing Hovercraft by Rudy Heeman flies 4.5 Feet above Water at 60 MPH

[Ian David]

New Zealand mechanic Rudy Heeman has just developed a two passenger hovercraft that has the ability to lift off, leaving other water based craft in its wake. The hovercaft is has been developed over the last eleven years. Its’ optimum height is about 4ft 6in above the water. The hoverwing sets off like a normal-hovercraft but when it reaches top speed of 60mph, its wings can be extended and it takes flight. Rudy Heeman believes there may be a commercial market for his creation-the hoverwing. He believes that his invention is an extremely efficient method of transport, travelling at about 6ft over the water and reaching speeds of over 60mph across the surface.

Heeman Officially calls this invention a ‘wing in ground effect vehicle’ - a hovercraft which is able to fly due to a set of unusual aerodynamics. Heeman’s first test flight actually ended in a crash landing. He was lucky and escaped with only a bruised leg. After the accident Heeman made adjustments to the Hovercraft and now believes the hoverwing is ready. , but Mr Heeman has yet to decide who to choose.



More:
http://www.techcraving.com/hoverwing-hovercraft-by-rudy-heeman-flys-45-feet-above-water/

[pleah]

1. K&R

[DemoTex]

2. HIGE

HIGE: Hover In Ground Effect.
HOGE: Hover Out of Ground Effect.

Ground effect is an altitude usually defines as 1/2 the wingspan. In the case of a hovercraft, the wingspan is the rotor diameter, although the craft's fixed wings might add a little to ground effect in forward flight. But you would not want to try to get this machine any higher and out of ground effect.

On edit: Sorry. Got interrupted.

[Liberal In Texas]

3. Cool, even though not a new idea.

Hoverwing - Hovercraft / Hoverplane kit
"...fly up to 10 feet high over waves, rocks, beaches and fields in ground effect."
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2006/10/hoverwing_hovercraft_hove.html



An “ekranoplan” literally “screen plane” is a vehicle resembling an aircraft, but operating solely on the principle of ground effect. Ground effect vehicles (GEV) fly above any flat surface, with the height above ground dependent upon the size of the vehicle.
During the Cold War, ekranoplans were sighted for years on the Caspian Sea as huge, fast-moving objects. The name Caspian Sea Monster was given by U.S. intelligence operatives who had discovered the huge vehicle, which looked like an airplane with the outer halves of the wings removed...

http://englishrussia.com/?tag=russian-army&paged=15

also see:
http://www.australianhovercraft.com/hovercraft_photos.htm

[progressoid]

4. Cue the 007 theme.