The Pacific: General Aviation & Questions The place for students, instructors and charter guys in Oz, NZ and the rest of Oceania.

Hovercraft

Old 14th Apr 2019, 01:37
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Tent
Posts: 916
Received 19 Likes on 12 Posts
Hovercraft

I think there might be a follow up story on the "hovercraft" up in Darwin.
Bend alot is offline  
Old 14th Apr 2019, 03:03
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 1,455
Received 49 Likes on 33 Posts
The ABC had a writeup on it a few days ago, great machine to play around with in the Darwin Harbour.

Pretty impressive job building it from scratch!

Does the owner frequent this site, wouldn’t mind learning more about it, particularly how to build one myself.
Duck Pilot is offline  
Old 14th Apr 2019, 03:19
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Australia
Posts: 358
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I can already imagine the discussions at CASA, definition of ‘aeroplane’ etc...
Stickshift3000 is offline  
Old 14th Apr 2019, 03:54
  #4 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Tent
Posts: 916
Received 19 Likes on 12 Posts
By CAsA definition - it is not an "aircraft" but that alone will not stop CAsA having the discussions.
Bend alot is offline  
Old 14th Apr 2019, 20:06
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: On the water
Posts: 646
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by Bend alot
By CAsA definition - it is not an "aircraft" but that alone will not stop CAsA having the discussions.
There used to be an in ground effect hovercraft out Cairns and I think it was only GRMPA that had anything to say.
WannaBeBiggles is offline  
Old 15th Apr 2019, 01:29
  #6 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Tent
Posts: 916
Received 19 Likes on 12 Posts
Originally Posted by WannaBeBiggles
There used to be an in ground effect hovercraft out Cairns and I think it was only GRMPA that had anything to say.
Was that before say something like flight in controlled airspace requiring a transponder?

Or some other silly technicality they might try ping him on!

Can not be having fun guys!
Bend alot is offline  
Old 15th Apr 2019, 03:51
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Oz
Posts: 538
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
The wing in ground effect craft in Cairns had both marine and aviation registration. Had a dispo for nil transponder. Test pilot was previously aero club instructor. After venture folded, he became a pilot with Jetstar - really nice guy.
topdrop is offline  
Old 15th Apr 2019, 04:18
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: moon
Posts: 3,564
Received 89 Likes on 32 Posts
That wasn’t the shuttle to mirage at port douglas was it?
Sunfish is offline  
Old 15th Apr 2019, 09:01
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,955
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by Bend alot
By CAsA definition - it is not an "aircraft" but that alone will not stop CAsA having the discussions.
Bendy,
Reminds me of many years ago in UK, after much discussion various "Authorities" agreed that cross Channel hovercraft Masters would have to have an ocen going Master's Certificate AND an ALTP with current IR.
It didn't take long to discover that there was no such animal in captivity.
Don'tcha just love "Xspert committees". X as in the unknown quantity, and spert as a drip under pressure, and a committee as a mechanism to make certain nobody is responsible for the outcome, if, indeed there is any outcome, never a high priority among the "Princes of Process".
Tootle pip!!
LeadSled is offline  
Old 15th Apr 2019, 09:22
  #10 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Tent
Posts: 916
Received 19 Likes on 12 Posts
Originally Posted by LeadSled
Bendy,
Reminds me of many years ago in UK, after much discussion various "Authorities" agreed that cross Channel hovercraft Masters would have to have an ocen going Master's Certificate AND an ALTP with current IR.
It didn't take long to discover that there was no such animal in captivity.
Don'tcha just love "Xspert committees". X as in the unknown quantity, and spert as a drip under pressure, and a committee as a mechanism to make certain nobody is responsible for the outcome, if, indeed there is any outcome, never a high priority among the "Princes of Process".
Tootle pip!!
If GI is still up there with CAsA best it have PC-12 or better performance and redundancies prior to any flight including the water landing checklist updates.

Not sure the spelling of his name (GI) - but PC-12 is enough to identify the guy.
Bend alot is offline  
Old 15th Apr 2019, 09:47
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Victoria, Australia
Posts: 104
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'm not a pilot, but when the Darwin chap (as portrayed in the ABC newscast) started talking wings, wing spars and then elevators I think to myself "I thought they were talking hovercraft?" PS. I do have a measly 5 minutes in a (genuine) hovercraft.
Allan L is offline  
Old 15th Apr 2019, 10:36
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: BackofBourke
Posts: 346
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts


Not really built from scratch. Been around for some time.

19XRW Hoverwing® | Universal Hovercraft

tio540 is offline  
Old 15th Apr 2019, 23:29
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Australia
Posts: 469
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
In the 1970s I had a mate who ran a mechanics business on the Hume Highway in Western Sydney. He was given a hovercraft as a debt payment back when they were still experimental.

He went to DCA, Marine and DMR to find who registered such things and no one wanted to accept responsibility. So being resourceful he "drove" the craft along the highway only to be booked for driving an unregistered vehicle. Responsibility proved??

The local cops spent the next weeks trying to get the ticket back.I bet there were a few hard words in Highway Patrol headquarters over that one.
Wunwing
Wunwing is offline  
Old 15th Apr 2019, 23:56
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: australia
Posts: 1,678
Received 42 Likes on 27 Posts
The CNS WIGE outfit that folded, were they trying to reinvent the wheel...with some Govt money ??
They should have just paid a visit to Russia. Them peskie ruskies have had that sorted for decades.
Could probably have got the Caspian Sea Monster at a discount, but probably too big for the PTD run.
aroa is offline  
Old 16th Apr 2019, 07:33
  #15 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 3,859
Received 167 Likes on 94 Posts
Squawk7700 is offline  
Old 16th Apr 2019, 12:34
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: expat
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
There was one built in NZ a few years ago, quite a slick machine. In NZ it is not classified as an aircraft so long as it is not flown out of ground effect. No licence or registration required.

HPSOV L is offline  
Old 16th Apr 2019, 21:42
  #17 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Tent
Posts: 916
Received 19 Likes on 12 Posts
They are not classed as "aircraft" in Australia either - but that does not exclude them from rules that use the word "flight" I expect.
Bend alot is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2019, 00:50
  #18 (permalink)  
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jan 1996
Location: Utopia
Posts: 7,395
Received 181 Likes on 108 Posts
That wasn’t the shuttle to mirage at port douglas was it?
You have a long memory Sunnie! That was a hovercraft operated in the days of Skase, who died in 2001. I think the hovercraft commuter operated briefly between Cairns airport and Port Douglass in the late 1980s?

I remember the WIGE (Wing in Ground Effect) "aircraft" undergoing trials in Cairns, thought it was more recent but looks like it was around 2003 or slightly later:

Flightship Takes Wing

Paul Phelan article: https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/wing-in-ground-effect-craft-enters-production-160873/

Cairns WIGE:
tail wheel is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2019, 03:39
  #19 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: on the farm west of Melbourne
Age: 62
Posts: 77
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
There were also Skase’s hovercraft operating between BN and the Gold Coast(Mirage Resort?).
IIRC they used to come up Kedron Brook behind the tower and scoot down inshore of Straddy.
amberale is offline  
Old 17th Apr 2019, 11:54
  #20 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Australia/India
Posts: 5,273
Received 410 Likes on 202 Posts
From the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Act 2012:
8 Definition of vessel

(1) In this Law:

vessel means a craft for use, or that is capable of being used, in navigation by water, however propelled or moved, and includes an air‑cushion vehicle, a barge, a lighter, a submersible, a ferry in chains and a wing‑in‑ground effect craft.
And if it’s a recreational vessel...

Here’s what the NT Marine Act 1981 defines “vessel” to mean:
"vessel", see section 8 of the Marine Safety National Law.
That’s the definition quoted above.

Bottom line: Although it’s part fish and part fowl, it’s treated as a fish for regulatory purposes.

Last edited by Lead Balloon; 17th Apr 2019 at 12:09.
Lead Balloon is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.