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Why the hovercraft's time might have finally arrived
- ggm 3y agoWent to the Dover hovercraft collection set up when the cross channel car ferry craft were pulled from service. (knew a former pilot, got a behind the scenes tour.) Amazing machines, I remember riding in one there and back as a kid. Aircraft seats along the sides, lots of super lightweight construction (plastic, alloys). The captains were dual certified: sea craft when not lofted, aircraft (just, if ground effect) when raised. Pre-digital tech in the cockpit, amazing discrete logic everywhere, knobs by the hundreds if not thousands. They were stunningly noisy when in service. Major major turboprop vibration noise throughout the craft. A lot of pax preferred the slower ferry because they were this noisy, and very bouncy in rough weather. Being in the cab was a joy. Like a modern day adventure round a dead steam engine dump, but for is-it-a-plane-or-not spaceship dumping ground.
- ggm 3y agoLee on Solent, not Dover. The visit to the bone yard was 2009, they were on the Dover run, but the collection isn't in Dover.