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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 2306.PDF
Air-Cushion Vehicles FLIGHT International supplement, 24 October 1963 applied with the foot-operated throttle, the rudders appeared very powerful and immediately changed the heading of the craft, but when the wind was from an unfavourable quarter this did not necessarily do more than develop a drift angle. With a developed appreci ation of sea and wind, the VA-2 can be controllable within reasonable limits for fairly congested areas despite a brisk wind. VA-2 does, of course, suffer from its relatively small size, deliberately chosen to allow easy transportation by sea or air to various demonstration sites. A larger craft, and particularly one with asymmetric power for steering, would prove much better able to deal with wind and sea. Nevertheless the im proved wave-riding and obstacle clear ance provided by the skirt is most significant and Vickers have gained much useful experience with various forms of skirt during recent months. Prospects Speaking before the demonstrations began from Malmo, Mr S. R. Hughes, manager of Vickers hovercraft division, said that his company could now con fidently offer ACVs with guaranteed performance and delivery date and at fixed price. What the price might be, he said, was traditionally confidential between Vickers and their customers, but a 50-ton craft for 200 passengers could be produced by 1966. If a one- off craft cost £x, then each of a batch of ten might cost l\x and each of a batch of 50 £0.4*. Operating cost, based on one of a batch of ten and 2,000hr annual operation, might be 3d or 3£d per seat nautical mile. "But," he continued, "I cannot see 50 of one type operating anywhere." There was little competitive-buying incentive to spread sales. Manufacturers were having to un learn much of their modern aircraft Production techniques and 50-ton ACVs would be built in batches of ten or 20 on simple wooden-frame tooling, in much the same way as aircraft were btiiit in the 1930s. One suggested application of ACVs was on a feeder ferry service between Malmo and Copenhagen for passengers departing on long air journeys, the ACV we forming part of the overall airline •cket. Scandinavia as an operating area was even more attractive than some of the so-called underdeveloped areas, because of the winter surfaces. ne of the problems encountered so ar in trial operations—the unservice- ability and delicacy of basically aircraft engines—would be overcome soon by be adoption of "marinized" gas tur- 0lnes with an overhaul life of 2,000hr. 57
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