New Zealander Rudy Heeman made a hovercraft in his garage. When it hits seventy kph, it starts flying. Heeman homes to sell his invention at $13,000 USD per unit.
This story said he's trying to market it at $xxx but I'm pretty sure he's just trying to sell the one he's made. There's no claim he invented it, but bloody well done if you ask me.
This New Zealand guy with his "extraordinary" machine ruises all over the internet. The suggestion is made that this New-Zealander has invented this kind of craft.
But in fact there's totally nothing new- This kind of marriage between hovercraft and a ground effect wing the WIG or wing-in-ground effect wing is old news.
Aircraft with ground effect wings have been around since at least the late 1930's. But in some aspects it can even be traced back to before the first World War.
Hovercrafts with ground effect wings just like this New-Zealand one have been flying around for some 20 years now in several parts of the world. You can even get them as a kit all prefabricated to assemble in your own garage and deliverable in different stages of prefab for you to finish.
P.S. New Zealand is awesome
http://www.hovercraft.com/content/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=53
But in fact there's totally nothing new- This kind of marriage between hovercraft and a ground effect wing the WIG or wing-in-ground effect wing is old news.
Aircraft with ground effect wings have been around since at least the late 1930's. But in some aspects it can even be traced back to before the first World War.
Hovercrafts with ground effect wings just like this New-Zealand one have been flying around for some 20 years now in several parts of the world. You can even get them as a kit all prefabricated to assemble in your own garage and deliverable in different stages of prefab for you to finish.