What Do People Use Hovercraft For?
It might be easier to answer: what aren’t hovercraft used for?
Some of the uses for hovercraft around the world are:
- As search and rescue vehicles.
- As daily transportation in Europe, the American continents and Asia.
- As ‘floating’ platforms for combines during wheat harvests in Russia.
- As charter services in the Caribbean and elsewhere.
- As transportation where high speed ferry services are restricted due to beach erosion from wakes.
- As lawn mowers. (Yes, that really is a product that has been on the market for 30 some years.)
- As cargo transportation over ice, snow, water, and mud for oil research and exploration.
- As shuttles between cities which do not have deep harbors, bridges or long piers.
- As “go anywhere” rugged craft in the Australian wild.
- As tourist ‘buses’ for water/land tours in Canada, South East Asia and other areas.
- As personal yachts for cruising shorelines, harbors, rivers, and lakes
- As military and police vehicles.
- As fun hobby and racing craft.
- As many things as can be thought up for a craft that can go over most kinds of terrain with minimal impact on an area.
So, what can’t hovercraft be used for?
- Hovercraft are not suited for trans-oceanic travel. Yes, a hovercraft could be made really large and be able to go across the Atlantic, but at this time they are not built to take on full waves.
- Hovercraft can’t “drive” on roads. The pitch to a roadway to allow for proper water runoff would make hovercraft slide off the tarmac. However, a hovercraft can “crab” along a roadway and use them. It is just easier to travel along the roadside with them.
- Hovercraft do not climb hills well. They need more or less flat surfaces to traverse. However, bumps and waves and such prove to be no obstacle for them. In fact, a hovercraft can travel relatively smoothly across water rough enough to make the average person seasick.
- Hovercraft can not fly. They are not built with lift in mind. However, if you look at VTOL aircraft, you will see a very similar principle.
- Hovercraft can’t do windows.
What should hovercraft be used for?
Easing the commuter burden on the Washington D.C. Metro area!