Standard Hovercraft Pilot and Maintenance Training Syllabus
| Prerequisites: | None |
|---|---|
| Course Length: | One day, 10-12 hours |
| Objectives: | Students should understand fundamental principles of flight and master basic hovercraft operation and essential maintenance |
| Home Study: | Students should read the Hovercraft Pilot Training Manual |
1. Ground Training(Morning Session)
Welcome Reception
Students will watch a video demonstrating hovercraft function and operation. Instructor will lead a tour of the hovercraft factory (when available), discussing materials, structure, and assembly.
Introduction to Hovercraft
- The Invention and Evolution of the Hovercraft
- Water: The Ancient Highway
- The Evolution of the Hovercraft
- A Hovercraft by any Other Name (An exploration of hovercraft-type principles in everyday life)
- Development of the Light Hovercraft Industry
Introduction to Hovercraft Mechanics
- Lift system
- Under-hull lift system
- Thrust system
- Fuel system
- Mesh and cleat system
- Control system
- Instrumentation system
- Maintenance requirements
- Lubrication and cleaning
- Emissions and control
Introduction to Hovercraft Pilot Training
- Fundamentals of Flight
- Newton's Laws of Force and Motion
- Bernoulli's Principle
- Lift, thrust, weight and drag
- Archimedes Principle, lift over water
- Pre-Operation, Preflight, and Post-flight Inspections
- Controls and starting procedure
- Basic Maneuvers
- Land-to-water transition
- Hovering forward
- Sideslipping
- Stopping
- Turning
- Landing
- Hovering on slopes
- Plowing in, ditching and scooping
- Specialty Operation
- Overload operation
- Night operation
- Snow, sand, and freezing rain
- Dust and sand
- Operating on partial cushion
- Types of flexible skirts and skirt wear
- Rope knot instruction
- Safety precautions
Introduction to Hovercraft Maintenance and Troubleshooting
- Pre-operation inspection
- Five hour inspection
- Twenty-five hour inspection
- The Hovercraft Engine: problems, adjustments, and maintenance
- Skirt repairs
- Fan and transmission repairs
- Repairs to controls
- Reverse thrust system
- Hovercraft road transport
- Cleaning and storage
2. Lunch(Provided by Hovercraft Training Centers)
3. Flight Training(Afternoon Session)
Hands-on Land-to-Water Hover Training(Average 2-3 hours). Completion standards require that student demonstrates the following capabilities:
- Trailer loading/unloading
- Preflight inspection
- Skirt repair
- Getting over hump
- Adjusting trim on land and water
- Flying straight
- Ditching
- Turning and spinning (180°, 360°, and 720°)
- Figure 8 turns
- Sideslipping
- Shallow water operation(Critical depth)
- Use of reverse thrust buckets for maneuvering
- Breaking
- Hovering in place
- Reversing
- Accessing difficult areas
- Transitions
- Landing
- Post-flight inspection
Clean Hovercraft; Check and Inspect Plugs
4. Course Completion
- Comprehension test and discussion
- Critique and feedback on Training Course
- Presentation of Solo Pilot Training Certificate in photo session for Hovercraft Training Centers