The Wiget Works AirFish 8 (AF8) is an 8-10 seater WIG (Wing in Ground effect) seaplane with a 17 meter x 15 meter footprint. It is designed to be operated by 2 crew and carrying capacity for 6-8 passengers in standard civilian transport configuration. It is powered by a powerful yet compact V8 car engine that runs on 95 Octane automotive-grade unleaded gasolines.
Performance
Take off distance : ~ 500 meters
Landing distance : ~ 300 – 500 meters
Operating height : up to 7 meters
Range : ~ 300 nautical miles
Speed, Maximum : ~ 106 knots
Speed, Cruising : ~ 80 knots
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Operating height : up to 7 meters” Obviously, they aren’t getting much ground effect at 7 meters but there must be some sort of optimization for wave height.
Operating height : up to 7 meters””Obviously”””” they aren’t getting much ground effect at 7 meters but there must be some sort of optimization for wave height.”””
Operating height : up to 7 meters” Obviously, they aren’t getting much ground effect at 7 meters but there must be some sort of optimization for wave height.
Operating height : up to 7 meters””Obviously”””” they aren’t getting much ground effect at 7 meters but there must be some sort of optimization for wave height.”””
“Operating height : up to 7 meters”
Obviously, they aren’t getting much ground effect at 7 meters but there must be some sort of optimization for wave height.
Maybe as a small ferry between different islands, or across the Great Lakes (Toronto-to-Buffalo, Milwaukee-to-Chicago))
Maybe as a small ferry between different islands or across the Great Lakes (Toronto-to-Buffalo Milwaukee-to-Chicago))
Maybe as a small ferry between different islands, or across the Great Lakes (Toronto-to-Buffalo, Milwaukee-to-Chicago))
Maybe as a small ferry between different islands or across the Great Lakes (Toronto-to-Buffalo Milwaukee-to-Chicago))
Maybe as a small ferry between different islands, or across the Great Lakes (Toronto-to-Buffalo, Milwaukee-to-Chicago))
I think the challenge with these is that it is a very small niche. You can only fly over flat water or marshland, you need to avoid open seas and land. Maybe if there was a ‘boost’ into airplane mode at even a couple hundred meters to avoid waves and obstacles there would be more interest.
I think the challenge with these is that it is a very small niche. You can only fly over flat water or marshland you need to avoid open seas and land. Maybe if there was a ‘boost’ into airplane mode at even a couple hundred meters to avoid waves and obstacles there would be more interest.
I don’t see this as sad. Ekranoplanes would be useful for transporting large amounts of cargo (or people?) fuel efficiently. Being both a lot faster and more fuel efficient than cargo ships would be quite a revolution.
I don’t see this as sad. Ekranoplanes would be useful for transporting large amounts of cargo (or people?) fuel efficiently. Being both a lot faster and more fuel efficient than cargo ships would be quite a revolution.
I could see something like this flying between islands in the Caribbean, but it’s like a fast ferry that can’t handle bad weather; You really DO need to go large, or not at all, for ekranoplanes to be practical.
I could see something like this flying between islands in the Caribbean but it’s like a fast ferry that can’t handle bad weather; You really DO need to go large or not at all for ekranoplanes to be practical.
I think the challenge with these is that it is a very small niche. You can only fly over flat water or marshland, you need to avoid open seas and land. Maybe if there was a ‘boost’ into airplane mode at even a couple hundred meters to avoid waves and obstacles there would be more interest.
Yeah, ekranos are cool, but getting hit by a rogue wave while going at 80 knots will ruin your whole day…
Yeah ekranos are cool but getting hit by a rogue wave while going at 80 knots will ruin your whole day…
I don’t see this as sad. Ekranoplanes would be useful for transporting large amounts of cargo (or people?) fuel efficiently. Being both a lot faster and more fuel efficient than cargo ships would be quite a revolution.
They’ve been testing the Airfish-8 for what seems like forever without a buyer. Somebody has deep pockets to fund this. Sadly, the only way WIG’s will probably ever gain acceptance requires going larger than the Caspian Sea Monster, as wave height clearance is roughly a function of wingspan, and being larger means you can make the boat hull portion stronger to deal with landing impacts. The old Lun’s were built like aluminum boats, not like aluminum airplanes.
They’ve been testing the Airfish-8 for what seems like forever without a buyer. Somebody has deep pockets to fund this.Sadly the only way WIG’s will probably ever gain acceptance requires going larger than the Caspian Sea Monster as wave height clearance is roughly a function of wingspan and being larger means you can make the boat hull portion stronger to deal with landing impacts. The old Lun’s were built like aluminum boats not like aluminum airplanes.
I could see something like this flying between islands in the Caribbean, but it’s like a fast ferry that can’t handle bad weather; You really DO need to go large, or not at all, for ekranoplanes to be practical.
Yeah, ekranos are cool, but getting hit by a rogue wave while going at 80 knots will ruin your whole day…
They’ve been testing the Airfish-8 for what seems like forever without a buyer. Somebody has deep pockets to fund this.
Sadly, the only way WIG’s will probably ever gain acceptance requires going larger than the Caspian Sea Monster, as wave height clearance is roughly a function of wingspan, and being larger means you can make the boat hull portion stronger to deal with landing impacts. The old Lun’s were built like aluminum boats, not like aluminum airplanes.