What is a hovercraft, and how does it work?
One or more lift fans blow air under the hull of the craft. This air is contained by a skirt surrounding the vessel creating a cushion of air that raises the entire craft, and allows it to hover about 2 feet above any surface. The open bottom of the inflated air cushion allows the air to continuously flow outward. Thus, the only contact with the surface is air. The hovercraft is then propelled by thrust propellers at the rear of the craft. This zero draft technology craft creates no water displacement or friction, making it the most efficient vehicle.
According to Yahoo! Reference, the term “hovercraft” is actually a commercial name patented in 1955 for an air-cushion vehicle. This refers to any vehicle that travels above the surface land or water. Air-cushion vehicles can use one of several methods to “float,” but a hovercraft relies on a powerful cushion of downwardly directed air powered by fans and trapped inside a flexible skirt, greatly increasing its lift capacity. A thrust propeller allows the craft to move forward. As we learned at the web site of the Hovercraft History Museum, the concept of a hovercraft has been around since the 18th century. The craft was conceived of to reduce the drag on ships and boats as they c
