Hoverspeed Pilots
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Thanks VFE, didn't know that one crashed. From memory Seaspeed ,a BR subsiduary, had Princess Anne and Princess Margaret? and Hoverlloyd had Swift and Sure. Anybody else out there build the Airfix model with the transparent roof? Always had a fascination for Hovercraft, but it's looks as if the Uk is the only place and Westland is the only place that makes them. Oh dear.
Dancing with the devil, going with the flow... it's all a game to me.
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I purchased a model (already built!) of a Hoverspeed craft in the shop at the Dover Hoverport once. It had brushes on the bottom and when you switched it on it vibrated, moving across the floor! I'm not gonna say what else we did with it either! :o
I wanted to be a Hovercraft pilot as a child but as this thread shows it wasn't exactly easy to find out how to become one!
Anyone who stood at ground level and witnessed an SR.N4 flying up the hoverpad after a cross-channel trip will agree when I say it was one of the most awe-inspiring (and quite frightening for me at that age!) sites one could witness. Man, were those things noisy!
The excitement when onboard of the engines starting up and then the skirt inflating one side first, then the other, like a big camel clambering to it's feet. Then the race down to the waters edge, vibrating like a tumble dryer, and then skimming across the sea. It wasn't too long before the spray had totally clouded the windows and all you could make out was the horizon.
It was a bit like boarding an airliner from the 70s - the cabin seemed quite old in style if I remember correctly, all rather kitsch!
Good memories and memories that we'll never be able to renew unfortunately.
VFE.
I wanted to be a Hovercraft pilot as a child but as this thread shows it wasn't exactly easy to find out how to become one!
Anyone who stood at ground level and witnessed an SR.N4 flying up the hoverpad after a cross-channel trip will agree when I say it was one of the most awe-inspiring (and quite frightening for me at that age!) sites one could witness. Man, were those things noisy!
The excitement when onboard of the engines starting up and then the skirt inflating one side first, then the other, like a big camel clambering to it's feet. Then the race down to the waters edge, vibrating like a tumble dryer, and then skimming across the sea. It wasn't too long before the spray had totally clouded the windows and all you could make out was the horizon.
It was a bit like boarding an airliner from the 70s - the cabin seemed quite old in style if I remember correctly, all rather kitsch!
Good memories and memories that we'll never be able to renew unfortunately.
VFE.
Hoverlloyd had a third machine named Sir Christopher after the inventor of the hovercraft Christopher Cockrell.
For a time in 1979 the SRN4's were joined by an "Aeroglisseur" in the form of the French SEDAM N500. Travelled on a day trip to Boulogne. Much higher over the water than the SRN and on my one trip less prone to pitch/roll in swell (kept my escargot down!). Engine vibration grounded it, was left rusting at the former Boulogne hoverport for several years.
Airbanda-proud to be an anorak.
For a time in 1979 the SRN4's were joined by an "Aeroglisseur" in the form of the French SEDAM N500. Travelled on a day trip to Boulogne. Much higher over the water than the SRN and on my one trip less prone to pitch/roll in swell (kept my escargot down!). Engine vibration grounded it, was left rusting at the former Boulogne hoverport for several years.
Airbanda-proud to be an anorak.
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Some pics are here, including ones of the SEDAM.
Amazing what you can find on the web. Actually that site has some wonderful info and brings back memories of riding on hovercraft as a child.
http://www.jameshovercraft.co.uk
[ 04 September 2001: Message edited by: BayAreaLondoner ]
[ 04 September 2001: Message edited by: BayAreaLondoner ]
Amazing what you can find on the web. Actually that site has some wonderful info and brings back memories of riding on hovercraft as a child.
http://www.jameshovercraft.co.uk
[ 04 September 2001: Message edited by: BayAreaLondoner ]
[ 04 September 2001: Message edited by: BayAreaLondoner ]
Rainbow Chaser
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Airbandathank you!! I knew HoverLloyd had a third craft but couldn't remember the name, Sir Christopher, of course!! In fact it was Sir C whose car deck always smelled the most fumey!! As cabin crew one summer I was also in charge of "bond", ie loading the perfume and duty free alcohol, and had to hang around the car deck a little more than I liked. Of course that meant that I also got to know "flight deck"...hence my previous post about being allowed to take the controls one calm, smooth day in La Manche!! The best fun was "buzzing" ships in the Channel - obviously the Hovercraft as the more manoeuvrable craft went behind any ship but the "flight deck" was my favourite hangout! Crew parties were also fun as we cabin crew were permitted free trips on our days off so we could always get the best and freshest French food and wine...one time I even remember being stopped by Customs (the growly officer) who inspected the stuff I and another crew member were carrying for a party that night (and yes some Customs had been invited!) and made a big fuss - all the day-trip blue-rinse brigade assumed we had been up to no good, the reality? he was just inspecting the food and deciding what he was going to eat that night!!
What memories!! Hovercraft IS the best way to cross the Channel - even on rough days, 35mins of "agony" was a darn sight better than the current endurance on Seacat/Ferry!!
If i become a squillionaire (lottery win yanno) I am definitely going to have a Hovercraft!!!! It is the kewlest mode of transport after Concorde..really!
What memories!! Hovercraft IS the best way to cross the Channel - even on rough days, 35mins of "agony" was a darn sight better than the current endurance on Seacat/Ferry!!
If i become a squillionaire (lottery win yanno) I am definitely going to have a Hovercraft!!!! It is the kewlest mode of transport after Concorde..really!
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QFE
There were no casualties when the SRN4 hit the wall, as the 2 seats nearest the impact were vacant, 2 friends of mine having missed it. There were 5 casualties in 1972 when a cross-solent SRN6 overturned in a force 8 gale.
Check out the Hovercraft Museum at http://www.hover.globalinternet.co.uk
Unfortunately they have a problem with their loctaion at HMS Daedalus as it is due to be reactivated (details of new usage unclear) and they may be forced to move. They also have a general access problem and are onlyopen a few days each year.
There were no casualties when the SRN4 hit the wall, as the 2 seats nearest the impact were vacant, 2 friends of mine having missed it. There were 5 casualties in 1972 when a cross-solent SRN6 overturned in a force 8 gale.
Check out the Hovercraft Museum at http://www.hover.globalinternet.co.uk
Unfortunately they have a problem with their loctaion at HMS Daedalus as it is due to be reactivated (details of new usage unclear) and they may be forced to move. They also have a general access problem and are onlyopen a few days each year.
Dancing with the devil, going with the flow... it's all a game to me.
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Mycroft,
I'll have a few words wimme ole man then - giving me duff information! He did say, however, that it was the folks on the harbour wall that bought it and afterwards they closed the wall to the general public?
As I say - I'll have words with him when he gets home.
brockenspectre,
Sounds like you had a real mean time as CC on the hover! 35 minutes of "agony"? I dunno about that dude! I had the misfortune to hop across in GF6 and it was not funny. Seriously "touch cloth time"!! Still I was only about 11 years old so I may have been a bit of a mincer!
VFE.
I'll have a few words wimme ole man then - giving me duff information! He did say, however, that it was the folks on the harbour wall that bought it and afterwards they closed the wall to the general public?
As I say - I'll have words with him when he gets home.
brockenspectre,
Sounds like you had a real mean time as CC on the hover! 35 minutes of "agony"? I dunno about that dude! I had the misfortune to hop across in GF6 and it was not funny. Seriously "touch cloth time"!! Still I was only about 11 years old so I may have been a bit of a mincer!
VFE.
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Brockenspectre,
If I remember rightly HoverLloyd hovercrafts were called Sure, Swift, Sir Christopher and I think the Prince of Wales. All absorbed into Hoverspeed many years ago, who themselves had larger craft by the name of Princess Anne and Princess Margaret.
Cheers
If I remember rightly HoverLloyd hovercrafts were called Sure, Swift, Sir Christopher and I think the Prince of Wales. All absorbed into Hoverspeed many years ago, who themselves had larger craft by the name of Princess Anne and Princess Margaret.
Cheers
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I don't remember any details but I remember an article, in Pilot I think, several years ago about 'flying' (or is it sailing?) the cross-channel hovercraft. It was written by a airline pilot who did it for a couple of years for a change, if I remember rightly. He of course had to sit seamanship exams.
I went Dover-Calais on one in the mid-eighties (when I was about nine) My memories very much like VFE's. I was struck by the old sixties style airliner interior. I remember the view as being quiet good, but the sea was very calm that day. I do remember realising how hard it is to judge ones hieght over water. (I think I'd just read Ivan Southalls 'Fly West' about Sunderland crews in WW2) It does look great coming up that ramp. Then we took the TGV from Paris to Nantes. Can't remember the time it took but it was very fast. Fantasitic!
[ 07 September 2001: Message edited by: Captain James Bigglesworth ]
I went Dover-Calais on one in the mid-eighties (when I was about nine) My memories very much like VFE's. I was struck by the old sixties style airliner interior. I remember the view as being quiet good, but the sea was very calm that day. I do remember realising how hard it is to judge ones hieght over water. (I think I'd just read Ivan Southalls 'Fly West' about Sunderland crews in WW2) It does look great coming up that ramp. Then we took the TGV from Paris to Nantes. Can't remember the time it took but it was very fast. Fantasitic!
[ 07 September 2001: Message edited by: Captain James Bigglesworth ]
Dancing with the devil, going with the flow... it's all a game to me.
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Managed to get in touch with a pal from Hoverspeed and he gave me some info on the SR.N4 crews.
From memory he says that the First Officer was normally a Master Mariner and the Captain would have a Masters Certificate. The Flight Engineer, however, did not need any qualifications - surprising as that sounds! The role of the Navigator was a hard one apparently. The English Channel being the busiest sea lane on the globe, he had a hard job in the fog!!
Pay wasn't bad - about £25-34k per annum.
The pilots were understandably gutted when Hoverspeed stopped using the hovercraft and most went on to sail the Seacat or fly aircraft.
Hope that is of some interest, apologies for the delay in posting the info.
VFE.
From memory he says that the First Officer was normally a Master Mariner and the Captain would have a Masters Certificate. The Flight Engineer, however, did not need any qualifications - surprising as that sounds! The role of the Navigator was a hard one apparently. The English Channel being the busiest sea lane on the globe, he had a hard job in the fog!!
Pay wasn't bad - about £25-34k per annum.
The pilots were understandably gutted when Hoverspeed stopped using the hovercraft and most went on to sail the Seacat or fly aircraft.
Hope that is of some interest, apologies for the delay in posting the info.
VFE.
