- Discontinued
Hovercraft :
|
Hovercraft : HoverFlyer-580
General Specification
The HoverFlyer is a fully amphibious hovercraft that has
been well proven
and manufactured since 1989. It has provided many thousands of
hours
of enjoyment and income for commercial owners carrying many thousands
of
joyriders. HoverFlyer has also proven itself in many diverse
applications
such as seismic surveying, aquaculture, weedspraying, flood rescue,
stock
feeding, oil rig support to mention a few. Private owners too are
enjoying
the benefits of the HoverFlyer with uses as diverse as yacht tender to
accessing fishing, diving, holiday house access and hunting.
Unique Features -
1.Top performer, beats everything in it's class
for style and
performance.
2.Quiet, large diameter thrust propeller has low tip speed.
3.Safe, guarded propellers, water-tight compartments, fire
zoning.
4.Exceptional payload capacity, Unbeatable earning capability.
5.Very stable with high obstacle clearance bag and finger skirt
combined.
6.Economical 4 stroke engines, less than 10 litres/hr. No
polluting
oil mixes.
7.Elegant concept, simple and effective mechanical equipment,
easy maintenance.
8.Road transportable, load and go without wide load permits.
Technical Details
Description |
Metric
|
Imperial - US
|
Length |
5.60 m
|
18,4'
|
Width |
2.35 m
|
7,7'
|
Cockpit length |
2.80 m
|
9,2'
|
Cockpit width |
1.50 m
|
4,9'
|
Isolated obstacle clearance |
300 mm
|
11.8"
|
Cushion height |
350 mm front / 320 mm rear
|
13.7" front / 12.6" rear
|
Wave height clearance |
750 mm at a pitch of 10 meters
|
29.5" at a pitch of 32.8'
|
Maximum recommend speed |
30 knots on smooth water
|
30 knots on smooth water
|
Maximum recommend speed |
38 knots on smooth hard surface
|
Planing speed |
6 to 8 knots
|
Accommodation |
5 Passengers
|
Crew |
1 operator/pilot
|
Payload |
500 kg
|
1 102 lb
|
Empty weight |
670 kg
|
1 477 lb
|
Lift engine |
Briggs & Stratton OHV 16 hp.
|
Thrust engine |
Subaru flat 4 cyl, OHV
|
Fuel consumption |
9.7 liters per hour (cruise)
|
2.5 gal per hour (cruise)
|
Average Fuel capacity |
15.5 gal
|
60 litters
|
Skirt type |
Pressurized tapered bag and
fingers
|
Lift system |
Single stage, vertical, axial
flow type fan
|
Thrust system |
Single ducted, fixed pitch,
laminated timber propeller,
toothed belt mechanical drive with clutch Control system
|
Rudders |
hydraulic helm Area of operation
All USL class
E waters + some class D
|
Hull and Superstructure
The hull is molded from fiber reinforced resin and PVC
foam sandwich
vacuum formed into female molds. Bi-axial fiberglass
reinforcements
are used in the plastic skins. This method of construction is
lightweight
while retaining excellent strength and stiffness. Thermal and sound
isolation
properties are excellent for this construction system. All laminating
is
conducted with active quality control procedures to ensure the highest
quality. The hull construction complies with or exceeds the Australian
U.S.L. requirements. The hull is built in two parts and bonded together
with sealed buoyancy compartments for maximum safety. Seat bases
are molded directly into the hull and provide dry storage spaces
underneath.
A three-point rubber cushioned landing pad system is fitted under the
hull
for operation off hard surfaces. A poly carbonate
windshield
is fitted around the front of the cockpit.
|
Thrust Engine
The thrust engine is a Subaru liquid cooled four
cylinder horizontally
opposed four stroke with electric starting; no alternator; internal oil
reservoir; gear driven oil circulation pump; replaceable external oil
filter
cartridge; stainless steel exhaust system; remote air filter
assembly.
Normal running speed is 900 to 4200 R.P.M. The engine
is mounted directly to the transmission housing thereby assuring
correct
alignment with the other transmission components.
The engine coolant circulates through a radiator mounted to the port
side of the engine compartment, the engine oil is cooled by an oil
radiator
mounted to the port side also. Sensors are fitted to detect oil
pressure,
water temperature and cylinder head over temperature, and are connected
to a large flashing light on the dashboard.
|
Propulsion System
The power from the thrust engine is transmitted from a
toothed pulley
mounted directly to the crankshaft, via a toothed H.T.D. pattern belt,
to a toothed pulley mounted directly to the propeller shaft
clutch.
The clutch on the propeller shaft is of the pre-set torque limiting
type
to guard against transmission system over-torque. The propeller
shaft
is supported on two self aligning sealed ball bearing units within the
fabricated aluminum transmission housing. The complete engine and
transmission
assembly is unitized and mounted to the hull via rubber vibration
isolators.
The propeller is bolted directly to the rear of the propeller
shaft.
The propeller blades are machined from select laminated timbers and
protected
with abrasion resistant coatings and replaceable poly carbonate
protection
strips.
|
Lift System
Briggs & Stratton 16 H.P. air cooled twin-cylinder
with electric
starting; manual starting; 15 Amp alternator; internal oil reservoir;
gear
driven oil circulation pump; replaceable external oil filter cartridge;
stainless steel exhaust system; remote air filter assembly.
Normal
running speed is 2700 to 3200 R.P.M.
Air is drawn in through the vents in the bonnet and expelled directly
downwards into the skirt bag. The bonnet provides safety
protection,
sound absorption and an attractive appearance. The lift fan is a
single stage, vertical downwards, axial flow type, mounted directly to
the engine crankshaft.
|
Controls
The controls are easily managed with a hydraulic helm
pump and hand-wheel
for steering. They are linked to aerodynamic rudders mounted
behind
the thrust duct, and use a foot-operated throttle for thrust and a
simple
hand throttle for lift. Full engine instrumentation is available.
|
Skirt
The skirt is a fully pressurized tapered bag and finger
system. The
bag pressure is higher than the cushion pressure and is regulated by
control
orifices in the bag inner membrane. The fingers are bolted on
with
nylon fasteners and are easily changed without lifting the craft.
|
Electrical System
System voltage is nominally 12 volts DC. There is
a single battery
fitted with a double pole isolated switch. Circuits are protected
by mil spec re-settable circuit breakers. Both engines have
electric
starting with a 15-amp alternator fitted to the lift engine. In the
event
of a flat battery, the lift engine may be rope started for battery
charging.
|
Fuel System and Fire Safety
The fuel tanks are of approved welded aluminum
construction and pressure
tested. Fuel piping is copper and stainless braided neoprene for
flexible
elements. A CAV type conglomerator/filter unit provides filtration,
which
is easily accessible for inspection and water drainage. An electric
fuel
pump feeds both engines. A tank-mounted sender measures the fuel
contents
and a gauge is fitted to the dashboard. In survey craft the fuel
tank compartment is sealed, lined with fire retardant surface and
pressure
ventilated. An electronic fume detector is mounted within the
compartment,
with an audible and visible condition monitor on the dashboard.
|
Available Accessories
Marine radio, 27Mhz or Marine VHF
Storage cover, short version clips around duct and top of windscreen.
Storage cover, complete version, covers complete deck to top of skirt.
Electric bilge pump at rear of cockpit.
Road trailer, basic towing frame (lift or float off).
Road trailer, complete flat-deck with tilt for hover on and off.
Reinforced floor and tie downs for freight.
|
NB: The above specifications
pertaining
to performance
are based on a properly trimmed and maintained craft with a competent
operator.
These specifications are subject to change as improvements are made and
should be used as a guide only, more complete and exact specifications
are issued for contractual purposes once a customers requirements are
fully
known.
For more information please vist Airlift
Hovercraft or contact them direct through
their webportal!
4wings Main page - 4wings Yachtservice - Kite-sailer.com - Site-map
|
|