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Remember the "Land Speeder" or
the "Pod Racers" in the Star Wars films? Bet you're thinking that was
all just fantasy right? Well . . . you'd just better
think again!
Since about 1959, inventors and engineers have
been working on Wing In Ground Effect (WIG) and Hover Craft vehicles. With
each passing year, these strange flying machines are reaching commercial
viability. In the next few years you're going to see, and possibly pilot,
some very cool machines.
 These
new craft can fly, but they are not quite airplanes, they float but they are
not quite boats. These futuristic vehicles move easily over the surface of
land or water, suspended just a few inches above the surface and can achieve
very high rates of speed.
Many designers are starting to combine both
hover and WIG effect technologies, building hybrid vehicles that can
hover in one spot just a few inches off of the surface, then darting off
at a high rate of speed.
Larger craft are already operational as
ferries or cargo transports. In Japan, engineers have designed a
"Flying Train" that will fly through a special U-shaped trough on a
cushion of air.
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W.I.G.
Military Application |
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The prior Soviet Union lead the field of W.I.G. technology
evolution through a number of their secret military
programs. (Ambitions of ruling the World sometimes
drives great innovations.)
While they have built many W.I.G. craft during the course of
their secret programs, the very last W.I.G. craft (The
Ekranoplan LUN) is of significant interest, in that it
opened the door to large-scale, heavy-lifting applications
and the incorporation of jet technology.
The LUN was powered by 8 turbofan engines and could reach
speeds of 550 knots. |
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Incredibly the craft weighed in at over 400 tons. It
also hosted 6 top-mounted (very large) missile tubes.
All while carrying troops, tanks, trucks, and supplies. |
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The military advantage of such a craft should be obvious;
and most significantly, due to it's water skimming flight
characteristics, it's ability to stay off of radar screens
as it cruises right up to your shoreline. when the
Soviet Union collapsed the Ekranoplan program was canceled
as funding dried up. The technology is out there
however, and now being moved along by several other
countries.
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Chinese
Hubei TY-1 |
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China is now 'borrowing' from
the ex-Soviet Union's secret military program and developing
their own 'transport' type
W.I.G. craft, the Hubei TY-1. |
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Speculation on initial plans
are to utilize the technology for transportation and
policing across in-land waterways |
(Very) Large-Scale Use of W.I.G. Technology
The Boeing Pelican Concept Craft |
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Boeing
Is involved in a 'concept' design program that focuses on
long range, heavy payload transport craft.
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Artist
representation of the Pelican |
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This massive 'concept craft' has a 500 ft wingspan, (with
over an acre of wing surface) and is powered by four
powerful turboprop engines. The unique down turned
wings are engineered to provide improved "Wing in Ground"
effect efficiencies. Flight characteristics would
allow the Pelican W.I.G. craft to cruise at approximately 20
feet over ground or water surfaces, but also support the
capability to fly at 20,000 feet as a conventional aircraft.
The Pelican would be equipped
with 76 retractable wheels but also support an operational
water landing mode.
The military version would
be capable of carrying at least 15 tanks and at least 1,000
combat troops. The projected carrying capacity is
around the 2,800,000 lbs. mark. |
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by: Dr. Von Zuko 2006© |
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Hover Craft and flying Cars Index:
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