A new Ekranoplan? Airfish-8

[Captain Coffee 2,030]

This looks very very cool.

 

 

[allardjd 1,853]

Ugly, isn't it?

 

John

[Captain Coffee 2,030]

10 hours ago, allardjd said:

Ugly, isn't it?

 

John

 

Probably subjective...I am one of those who find Bats cute.  

This is kinda Batty looking. I like it.

 

This looks like a brilliant vehicle for inter-island travel. I could see 16-30  pax versions hopping between the Hawai'i's, no airfield necc, board at the dock in your flip flops...shoot across over 120+ mph.

 

Edited August 5, 2018 by Captain Coffee

[dodgy-alan 1,587]

I love it, but the Germans and the Russians tried this before and it lead to a technological dead end. To make it fully viable they need to sell a lot of them.

 

[allardjd 1,853]

Well, at least they're not trying to do it with batteries.

 

John

[Captain Coffee 2,030]

19 minutes ago, dodgy-alan said:

I love it, but the Germans and the Russians tried this before and it lead to a technological dead end. To make it fully viable they need to sell a lot of them.

 

 

I did a quicki wiki and found some german prototypes still in use by private individuals. A 12 pax version looked much more complicated than the airfish above, which I think has a fighting fish chance due to it's "techno" simplicity...car motors for example.

Those old Russian Ekranoplans were MONSTERS, and yeah, it would take a huge effort to mass produce those let alone find buyers for that scale of craft. I could see a private venture doing Specialty Hauling in such a craft but regular pax or cargo service in those beasts would be a herculean task.

 

What I find appealing about the Airfish is that it is composite, relatively simple to build, low tech components, and light weight...I can't see these becoming larger than 30 pax haulers without become "technical monsters" ...but for short hop light commute/tourist duty...put it this way, I'd invest if I won the lotto.  

[wain 879]

this is a weird one, am I right in assuming it stays quite low? I suppose it could avoid very choppy seas but looks expensive to run....then there's the licensing to consider as it seems to be a hybrid of many things......not sure I would buy one if I had the cash....

[J G 927]

An interesting video.

 

I can see several military applications for this, crossing minefields, perhaps getting under radar, landing SF troops in shallow water etc.

 

However, I have two concerns, both are not addressed by the video, are these:

• First, its turning circle.  Being so low on the water, any sort hard bank would cause one of two things.  Either the "wing" would catch the water probably resulting in a cartwheel, or the craft would have to rise in the bank which risks loss of ground effect which would be just as catastrophic.
• Second, its ability to cope with rough seas.  Where the sea is not flat then maintaining ground effect would become very difficult, the bigger the sea the bigger the problem.

For the above reasons I cant see it taking off.  Pun intended.

Edited August 6, 2018 by J G

[Captain Coffee 2,030]

I looked like it has enough lift to rise above ground effect for turns...but I agree it would be a problem or far less efficient in rough seas, if it could Rise Above that problem...pun intended.