Operation and Application
What is a hovercraft?
A device that hovers in the air and is controllable.
• Explain the operation of several types of hovercraft designs and the advantages of each.
• Where and why are hovercraft used? Hovercrafts can be found in water activities. They are used for numerous things like for transportation for security personnel or for competition or just for fun around the neighborhood.
• What are the alternatives to hovercraft and where are they used?
History/Current Events
• What is the history of hovercraft design and applications?
The hovercraft was invented by Christopher Cockerell in 1956. The theory behind one of the most successful inventions of the 20th century, the Hovercraft, was originally tested in 1955 using an empty KiteKat cat food tin inside a coffee tin, an industrial air blower and a pair of kitchen scales. Sir Christopher Cockerell developed the first practical hovercraft designs, these led to the first hovercraft to be produced commercially, the SRN1.
Christopher Cockerell's idea was to build a vehicle that would move over the water's surface, floating on a layer of air. This would reduce friction between the water and vehicle. To test his hypothesis, he put one a smaller can inside a larger can and used a hairdryer to blow air into them. The downward thrust produced was greater when one can was inside the other rather than air just being blown into one can
By Mary Bellis
• What are some of the most recent hovercraft developments?
New hybrid creations including the 18SPW Hoverwing®, 19XRW Hoverwing® and newly test flown TW-1 combine hovercraft and ground effect technologies expanding the potential applications of hovercraft and ground effect craft now and in the future.
• A published article of a recent event concerning hovercraft
http://www.hovercraftcentral.com/article/hov_regs.html
Impacts
• What is the environmental impact of hovercraft?
There is no environmental impact that the hovercraft causes. It is completely green as they say for things that keep the air clean.
• How has hovercraft impacted society?
Hovercrafts have impacted a lot of different aspects of society. They are used for security means, transportation or just plain old fun.
Individual/Organization Contribution Content
• who: Individual/Organization who has made a significant contribution to the Hovercraft field. I think Christopher Cockerell made the most significant contribution to the hovercrafts. Why, because he is the inventer.
• what: biographical information (date of birth, family background, education,etc.) Cockerell was born in Cambridge on june 4, 1910, where his father, Sir Sydney Cockerell, was curator of the Fitzwilliam Museum, having previously been the secretary of William Morris. Christopher Cockerell was educated at Gresham's School, Holt. He then entered Cambridge University as an undergraduate member of Peterhouse, and where he studied engineering and was tutored by William Dobson Womersley. He began his career working for the Marconi Company in 1935, and got married soon afterwards. He worked on radar systems during the Second World War. Cockerell was awarded the Howard N. Potts Medal in 1965.Cockerell was knighted in 1969 for his services to engineering. He died at Hythe in Hampshire.
• when: Year(s) idea, product, or process was first used
1956
• where: Location of center of work (this should include the country, state or province, and city)
British United Airways
• why: Reasons for developing the idea, product, or process
He was out of work and came up with this idea and tried to get it published by boat companies
• how: Describe working conditions and obstacles that had to be overcome
There are no known obstacles that he faced to build this craft.
• money: Did the individual or organization profit from the ideas?
No he did not profit from the hovercraft at all because he couldn’t find a publisher or sponsor
• impact: What other events occurred as a result?
The outbreak of others trying to make their own hovercraft.
