HOVERCRAFT - FIRST FLIGHT:
After three years of work, followed by nearly a week of putting off posting my videos on YouTube and then hearing about Google Video today, I posted my first flight with the new yellow skirt.
Let me know if you can't view these, it's supposed to be in the "Science & Technology" catagory.
One:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1663313081488662208
Two:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4563104873090699357
...........and a bunch of other video's on the Google Video site by others:
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=hove...age=2&lv=0&so=0
We had a mishap getting it back on the trailer, the front noodle at the bottom of the leading edge drape was tucked under the bow. The trailer was tilted at it's typical steep angle with it's perimeter "C" channel facing the hovercraft like a hungry mouth. The tube like bottom edge fitted nicely into the "C" channel and the front drape pulled down and off. We caught this on video but I'm going to fix the design flaw and trailer flaw so I can do a proper "before and after" story. I need a winch, getting too old for all this pulling and heaving up a trailer anymore.
The rear part of the side sponson bag can open up on turns and on impact with the street curb allowing large amounts of air to escape. I need to "in-fill" that corner with more fabric or anti drag flap.
I flew across a large grass field but had problems coming back across it. The top edges of the skirt are just clipped every three or four inches and the fabric stretches a fair amount. This resulted in too much air escaping at the top edge, so I hopped off and walked it back with help from my assistant Cris.
I've found my old top of skirt plastic edge strip cleannig my basement this weekend, I'm hoping it still fits. Otherwise 5/8" washer hose with a slit in it may be my sealing top edge.
The stern/rear bag had wear at the corner rivets, but no where else. From this I know I need to adjust it so it seals better (more slack) in the middle. Larger drain holes will be added after a second dry land test, something I can get my fingers into to remove rocks. I read something about 2 inch diameter holes, maybe that's what I'll end up with. Easier to make them larger than smaller as I go.
Nothing all that new about what I'm doing, just slightly different application/combination.........none of which has proven to be better than the stock finger skirt (yet). Even a simple bag skirt would of been easier to do, but hey - it's an experiment, the long way, the joy of getting there and all that.
SmileWavy
