Hovercraft Training Centers
Why Train?
You don't drive hovercraft - you fly.
No one would attempt to fly a helicopter without proper flight training, yet many people assume they can pick up hovercraft operation as they have with a car, boat, or jet ski.
Consider what goes into the operation of other vehicles:
- Cars: Drivers must maintain a safe course and a reasonable speed by manipulating a steering wheel, gas and brake pedals, and a gear shift. Many drivers and thousands of neighborhood shops can handle the routine maintenance.
- Boats and jet skis: Operators must perform a pre-trip check and consider wind and water conditions at all times. They must steer and manipulate a throttle, and pay some attention to the tachometer. Regular maintenance can be done at a boat shop.
The hovercraft pilot operates in the air, requiring new skills and situational awareness. Before each flight, the pilot must:
- Ensure that required maintenance has been done.
- Perform a preflight inspection.
- Check the payload (weight distribution) to properly balance cargo and passengers.
- Test the engine and systems, and check the launch site for the best route.
Only a pilot trained in the fundamentals of aerodynamics is equipped to fly a hovercraft. The rules become secondary to reading and responding to current conditions. The pilot must:
- Maintain course by manipulating the throttle, reverse thrust buckets, steering column, rudders and trim.
- Continuously analyze conditions, including decreased weight as fuel is burned off, and have passengers adjust themselves and cargo in order to balance the craft.
- Constantly consider obstructions, distances, surface conditions and wind direction.
Go over the fallen branch or around it? Is the sandbar safe? What lies around the bend - a spectacular view or an obstacle? How do I fly the hovercraft on ice or snow?
And, each hovercraft flight requires a post-flight inspection. Like other vehicles, hovercraft require routine maintenance, but unlike a car or boat, a hovercraft can’t be taken down to the local repair shop – unless, of course, there’s a Hovercraft Training Center nearby. Each HTC is fully equipped to support and maintain your hovercraft.
It may sound challenging, but the benefits of piloting a hovercraft far outweigh the challenges.
See for yourself – take a Test Flight.
