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Forget flying with a jet pack, try this homemade hovercraft

By Boonsri Dickinson | March 15, 2010, 9:46 AM PDT

Flying on an airplane has lost its allure when it became a practical and affordable way to travel. However, the dream of flying the way the Wright brothers did, a la jet pack fantasy, seems to be taking off. At least this time around, we can watch their trials on YouTube.

Literally.

Meet New Zealander Rudy Heeman, creator of a homemade hovercraft. It’s been called an “aircraft, aeroplane, hovercraft and flying boat.” I can relate to a hovercraft’s motions. I played with a remote control hovercraft over the lake near my childhood home.

But clearly, Heeman had greater visions and saw the hovercraft as more than a toy. After 800 hours and more than a decade in — Heeman has built a winged machine that hovers at 10 feet above the water and travels at 56 mph.

Last week, Heeman sold the hovercraft on Trade Me for about $14,000. And like the jet pack, requires no pilot’s license.

Watch this video of the hovercraft in action:

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About Boonsri Dickinson

Boonsri Dickinson was a contributing editor for SmartPlanet from 2010 to 2012.

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RE: Forget flying in a jet pack, try this hovercraft (video)

Who called me ? The information about unknown phone number to find out who owns that number and why they call. Who is calling me.

Posted by EdwardKresge

7th Jun 2010

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Not the same

Ruby Heeman's flying hovercraft is definitely not the same and Universal Hovercraft. I like Heeman's craft better, looks cooler and seems like it gets more lift.

Posted by gcomputeronet@...

16th Mar 2010

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The Hovewing was first. Do the research...

I've been looking at the Universal Hoverwing for years. I think the original author should have done some basic research on whether "flying" hovercraft are a new invention. Both of these vehicles use wings for a process called Ground Effect which limits the height the vehicle can actually "fly". This is different than the lift that is generated by fixed wing aircraft.

Posted by webmaestro@...

16th Mar 2010

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I'd like to learn more

I'd like to learn more about his design, and if it is available for purchases? What is his email?

Posted by Specklesdad

16th Mar 2010

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RE: Forget flying in a jet pack, try this hovercraft (video)

WHo is to say that seeing Unversal Hovercraft's vehicle in 1999 didn't inspire Mr Heeman's? The crafts look sufficiently different so its not like the idea was stolen outright. Besides being in New Zealand would make industrial espionage difficult. Besides in the end it doesn't matter who was first or who builds the better craft. What matters is what the public will decides to buy, if they buy any at all.

Posted by psmc@...

16th Mar 2010

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There Appear to be Similarities ...

... between the machine Ruby Heeman built and Universal Hovercraft's UH-19XRW. However Rudy's (not Ruby) machine appears to be sleeker, faster, and have significant improvements over Universal's hoovercraft.

Still, either look like real fun to run. I'm looking forward to the next set of improvements.

Posted by sperry532@...

16th Mar 2010

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RE: Forget flying in a jet pack, try this hovercraft (video)

Of course the guys at Universal Hovercraft are going to take exception to this; the guy is looking to retail at $14,000 a unit to the general public, while Universal sells theirs EXCLUSIVELY to the Military and Rescue Operations (meaning big ticket on the Taxpayer's dime) at $85,000 a copy.

WOW... am I ever SURPRISED they would want to protect that little bit of pork barrel at any cost, even trying to make this small-timer look like a thief. I say a little competition makes for a better product, and it might just make the guys at Universal have to PRODUCE a machine that's actually WORTH $85,000, rather than just saying "This is it. $85,000 is the price. If yo don't like it, buy it elsewhere... oh wait.. YOU CAN'T!"

Well, NOW YOU CAN.

mnem

Posted by mnemennth

16th Mar 2010

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RE: Forget flying in a jet pack, try this hovercraft (video)

The Wiki article "Ground effect vehicle" is a good read

Posted by hoodedswan

16th Mar 2010

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RE: Forget flying in a jet pack, try this hovercraft (video)

This is not true. Originally WIG - wing in ground was developed in USSR by Rostislav Alekseev, the "father" of Caspian Monster ekranoplan. Flying hovercrafts are just and only the next generation of this Russian invention.

Today, I'm introducing the generation of "Jumping Hovercraft" by my own design. You can find the video of experimental model here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDvfPkWrT1g

Posted by RomanKorotin

17th Mar 2010

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RE: Forget flying in a jet pack, try this hovercraft (video)

*YAWN*

Ummm... really exciting footage there, Roman... ZZZzzzzZZZZzzzZZZzzz

Posted by mnemennth

17th Mar 2010

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RE: Forget flying in a jet pack, try this hovercraft (video)

This is not as easy and safe as it looks.

It is high drag, lightly wing loaded, and limited to flight within one wing length of the ground, i.e. a typical ground effect vehicle. It has hershy bar wings with little or no dihedral, so by nature it us highly susceptable to turbulance or crosswind, and likely requires constant pilot input to stay level.

Touching a wingtip to the ground or water would spoil your whole day.

Posted by BDTurcotte

17th Mar 2010

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RE: Forget flying in a jet pack, try this hovercraft (video)

Someone has beat him to it and you can get them soon because they are going into production. Check this out!

Go to http://www.moller.com/

Posted by JBSpike

18th Mar 2010

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RE: Forget flying in a jet pack, try this hovercraft (video)

Been there, done that, this is just hype to bang the drum and make
sales on more "new" garbage that nobody needs.

That Russian "ground effect" monster which skimmed the Black Sea
"flew" - scores of passengers at a time - decades before this light-
headed crap - this is NOTHING NEW.

A better, cheaper, reliable, proven solution? Get yourself a small
kit hovercraft - or even a 2- to 4-person Everglades swamp skimmer
from Florida - and take off in safety.

Maybe one day somebody will stop re-inventing the wheel and selling
it to suckers like if it's new technology...

Posted by bimjimmy

23rd Mar 2010

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RE: Forget flying in a jet pack, try this hovercraft (video)

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Posted by CoryShultis

31st May 2010

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RE: Forget flying in a jet pack, try this hovercraft (video)

Who called me ? The information about unknown phone number to find out who owns that number and why they call. Who is calling me.

Posted by EdwardKresge

7th Jun 2010

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