Flying Hover Craft - "Hoverwing"

According to an article in The Nelson Mail, New Zealand inventor and mechanic Rudy Heeman has spent the last 11 years building a flying hovercraft.  You don’t need a pilot’s license or even a driver’s license to fly the hover wing, and you can go much faster than you can in a boat.  The optimum height for it was about 1.5m above the water, reaching 98kmh.

The craft is only a few weeks away from completion.  Although the Hoverwing will be able to carry a passenger, Mr Heeman has yet to decide who will be first to don the second life-jacket.

Maritime New Zealand spokesman Ross Henderson said a wing-in-ground effect vehicle was considered to be a maritime craft and fell under maritime law.  Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Bill Sommer said the vehicle was not classed as an aircraft because it used an air cushion which relied on water.

For more on wing-in-ground-effect technology, check out the Pacific Seaflight Wingship:

Boat Flies On Wing-In-Ground Effect - Pacific Seaflights Wingship (GALLERY)

It’s a bird… it’s a plane… No! It’s a flying boat! WTF?! Pacific Seaflight is reinventing the coastal flying experience in a HUGE way. This one’s a little technical, but I’ll do my best. The Wing-In-Ground (WIG) Wing Ship Vessels are extremely economical, take no pilots license to fly, and wou… [More]