Hovercraft

[edomus]

My friends and I are trying to construct a hovercraft. Has anyone ever tried this? Does anyone have any advice?

[sanddrag]

There's this guy Tytus Gerrish that has made a lot of them. I found it by searching.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ght=hovercraft
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ght=hovercraft
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ght=hovercraft
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ght=hovercraft

[edomus]

thanks, thats pretty cool. We are actually trying to make a life size one though.

[Pat Fairbank]

I looked into building a hovercraft a few years ago. The idea didn't go anywhere, but from my research I can tell you gas-powered leaf-blowers are by far the easiest way to go in terms of lifting power, unless you're planning on making your own fan blades and hooking them up to a car engine or something similar.

You won't get very far if you use an electrically-powered lift fan, unless you plan on hauling a few hundred pounds of battery around (or unless you have a really long extension cable ).

Oh, and if you're really in a hurry, an upside-down life raft can make an acceptable skirt.

Good luck in your efforts!

[falconmaster]

I built a full sized one while in high school. I competed in the ISEF in 1983. I can tell you want you want to know.

[Starke]

I am involved in the Vacation Bible School at my church this year. This year's theme is Star Wars. The church is making many props and objects for the VBS that have the Star Wars theme. I am actually helping constuct two hovercrafts for this VBS. One will hold two people and be for show and the other with hold about 10 children so we can cart them around the camp. We will make them to look like Star Wars pod racers.

A good website that we use is Universal Hovercraft. This comapny makes and sells many different sizes and shapes of hovercrafts. You can buy plans for hovercrafts, or buy ones that are already made. It is a very useful website.

I hope this helps. If you have more questions, let me know.

[tiffany34990]

tytus has soo many versions going lol....small but cool... some people i know wanted to do a human version too...was going to be summer project...

good luck w/ your hovercraft!

[F-14tomcat222]

I,m on the local dive rescue team and we have one for use as a swiftwater rescue vehicle. But anyway you can see ones similar to ours on the AIR COMMANDER website. http://www.aircommander.com There are some good photos of the operating systems to use as references. I think there might even be some schematics. there are also some vids that show hovercraft races .

P.S. let me know how it turns out, and good luck

[Tytus Gerrish]

they aren't teribly difficult all you need is a flat thing duct tape another flat thing somthing that blows air and a glad bag. i Will elobrate on the mechanics with a drawing later. i have stuff to do today and arefin staying over tonite.

[adamrp]

Originally Posted by falconmaster

I built a full sized one while in high school. I competed in the ISEF in 1983. I can tell you want you want to know.

Im one of the hovercraft builders (along with edomus) and maybe you can help us predict what exactly is going to happen when we throw this thing together... Basically, we are using a bag skirt. We have an 11HP engine that is direct-drive to a 6-blade fan with a diameter of 24" (a little bigger, really). This is a very home made craft, so it is all built on top of an 8'x4'x3/4" plywood sheet. Do you think it will hover the way it is supposed to? I think the hover height will be about 8 inches.

arp

[Conor Ryan]

I'm thinking that might work, just make sure your fan has the highest RPM you can give it. Watch your weight, that brings the end to a lot of homemade hovercrafts. Also what are your plans for steering the Hovercraft?

[sanddrag]

Wow, 11 hp. That is really big. I assume that is your propulsion engine? Do you have another engine for lift? Or are you going to somehow duct this one to give lift and propulsion?

[Tytus Gerrish]

okay here ya go this is how air should flow and lays out the concept

[Vince lau]

i was going to try this

http://amasci.com/amateur/hovercft.html

[adamrp]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Wow, 11 hp. That is really big. I assume that is your propulsion engine? Do you have another engine for lift? Or are you going to somehow duct this one to give lift and propulsion?

Actually, the 11 HP is for lift. We have an 8HP engine for propulsion. I know, this is sort of backwards, but the 11HP has a vertical axle and the 8 has a horizonta axle, so we decided that rather than use differentials and belts we would do it this way. Off to work...

arp