Do hovercraft hurt the environment?
No. The unique characteristics of the hovercraft make it one of the most environmentally friendly vehicles in the world. One of these characteristics is the hovercraft’s low “footprint pressure.” The pressure a hovercraft exerts on its operating surface is conservatively 1/30th that of the human foot! The average human being standing on ground exerts a pressure of about 3 lb per square inch (20 KPa), and that increases to 25 lb per square inch (172 KPa) when walking. In contrast, the average hovercraft exerts a pressure of only 0.33 lb (2.2 KPa) per square inch – even less as speed increases. This “footprint pressure” is below that of a seagull standing on one leg! Hovercraft have literally flown over a pedestrian without inflicting harm. What are hovercraft used for? Hovercraft are so versatile that their applications are as diverse as the people who use them. They are most often used to reach areas that are inaccessible on foot or by conventional vehicles. A partial listing of presen
