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THE HOVERCRAFT, THE SEA TRANSPORT OF THE FUTURE
Rome - (Ign) -An aircraft supported by a cushion of air and driven by one or more propellers, able to travel over a variety of surfaces at speeds of over 150 km/h. Produced in industrial or hobbyist models in sizes ranging from 2 m to 130 m long, and appreciated above all for its adaptability to travelling over a variety of surfaces. This is the hovercraft, an aerodyne with direct reaction lift which may be used in the fields of rescue, transport and sport. The hovercraft has been classified as the last invention of the century in the transports system before the Shuttle, and does not only replace boats, seaplanes or helicopters, but is a multipurpose means of transport that can be used for going over surfaces of various kinds, without leaving tracks. Above all, it respects the ecosystem and saves energy costs compared to other means. And the European hovercraft champion is Italian: he is called Michele Scanalino (winner of the Formula One category), and will be fighting to defend his title in France from 22 to 27 August, where the next championships are scheduled to take place. The hovercraft market is in continuous growth, and Italian companies, together with those of the US, are at the forefront in the production of these vehicles. At www.hovercraft-italia.it various types can be purchased, and customised as the user wishes.
An all-Italian company is the Fly Dragon Hovercraft Service (www.flydragon.it), whose main model is the "Viper", a classic twin-engined craft, and a concentration of technology which manages to combine great simplicity of use and of maintenance. The Fly Dragon is aimed both at those who want a vehicle for leisure use, and those who want to start up a new transport business. But it also for public and private associations which think that the amphibious means of transport would be useful in social services applications, in the event of a natural disaster or for rescuing people in difficulty in places which would otherwise not be easy to reach (in particular in the event of flooding). "In recent years public administrations have also shown interest in the potential of the Hovercraft," says Mario Reitano, the company owner, "but we still have some difficulty entering this market. However, the ideal use for the Hovercraft is in rescue operations - used by the Red Cross, for example, or the Civil Protection service - and in the saving of human lives". Fly Dragon -which also organises hovercraft piloting lessons - has a turnover which is still below € 1 million, and its products are aimed above all at the Italian market, with 30-40% going abroad. At least 15 vehicles will be built in 2006, also thanks to the new marketing possibilities offered by the internet. The website has led to a significant increase in turnover, and has also made it possible for the company to access the American market. " But the collaboration we are proudest of," adds Reitano, "is with Tunisia. The government of Tunis needed a means of transport for performing water purification operations. Because of the layout of the land, with its many canals, a boat was not ideal. Consequently we provided them with a hydroplane, and they are now extremely interested in purchasing other hovercrafts". HoverSud s.r.l., another company that produces in Italy, instead has two main models: the ExtraGuard 1 (more suitable for rescue operations), and the ExtraGuard 2, specifically designed for environmental applications.
Hi-Tech International (www.hovercraft.it), meanwhile, has a wide range of products covering all the needs of the market. These range from the Hoverescue (in 2 models which may carry between four and six people) to the enormous Textron Marine (which may carry as many as 180), not to mention the Vixen (which may hold up to 19 passengers). Hi-Tech International, which is based in Gorgonzola (Milan), provides the Interior Ministry with hovercrafts for the Fire Brigade, the Police and the Civil Protection service, and also won a contract to supply vehicles to the Romanian border police. All its materials and instruments are the result of its own investments in research and development and, in business since 2003, it has already sold a thousand vehicles of its own production. One of the latest (an HTI 425) was purchased by the local health authority of Perugia after a call for tenders on a European level. The technicians from Perugia use the hovercraft for performing larvicide treatments in Lake Trasimeno: the vehicle has been fitted with a distribution system composed of a series of capillary tubes supported by foldable bars. This is just the latest example of the unique versatility of what is clearly the vehicle of the future.
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