Flying Hovercraft

Turns out that Flying Hovercraft we saw a few years ago was a steal at $ 27,000.  Granted, it was home made and didn’t have any regulatory safety ratings, if that’s what you could call them.  So that said, we’d probably pay a significant premium for the added benefit of what is generally considered a given.  But $ 190,000 that’s pushing the envelope of tolerance.

But that’s the price of this UH-18SPW Hoverwing from, where else, Hammacher Schlemmer.  This winged boat glides over land and water, and sports a 130-hp twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled, turbo charged, gasoline engine can travel at speeds up to 70mph.  Nothing to snub your nose at, especially for a water craft.  A joystick controls three vertical rudders and the elevator, while a “twist friction-lock throttle” controls speed.  Conversely, to slow you just lower the lift fan’s rpms – needless to say this also influences the height of the craft, which can supposedly top out at 20-feet at what appears to be a moments notice.  The Flying Hovercraft’s hull is made from composite fiberglass/PVC, allowing it to cruise in winds up to 25mph and waves as big as 6-feet.  Lastly, two nine-gallon gasoline tanks provide a range up to 160-miles.