Why hovercrafts are used

Other hovercrafts have one larger engine that produces a single air stream. This is then split between thrust and cushion as needed. Today, hovercrafts are used in many parts of the world for a variety of reasons. They can transport people and equipment over rough terrain. They can also be used in place of boats to move large groups of people across bodies of water.

Who invented the hovercraft? The scientific principles behind the vehicles were first demonstrated by Sir Christopher Cockerell in He used a cat food can, a coffee can, and some kitchen scales to demonstrate how the craft could work. Have you ever ridden in a hovercraft? They may seem very futuristic , but these vehicles have been in use for decades. A, CCRA. Did today's Wonder of the Day have you floating on Cloud 9?

Keep the learning going by exploring the following activities with a friend or family member:. You can add your suggestion to the Wonder Bank. It was published in August However, if you are needing to cite this article, you may use the date you accessed it for information, such as November Great question, Francis! We have a whole team of people here at Wonderopolis that write the Wonders. You may use Wonderopolis as the author when citing Wonderopolis as a resource!

Hi, Jonathan! We're glad you're having fun exploring Wonderopolis! We love when we're learning and having fun at the same time. Hi, matthew! Thanks for visiting Wonderopolis to help with your project. Science fair projects are so much fun! We hope this Wonder helped explain more about how hovercrafts work. We also encourage you to research at your library and online.

Remember its always important to cite your sources when doing research. The official Wonderopolis Permissions Policy states: Wonderopolis materials may be cited or excerpted in periodicals, books, and educational materials under the following stipulations: 1.

A URL of the material referenced is provided so that readers may access it online 2. Good luck on your project! Welcome, Coolboy! Check out Wonder Are You Cool? We like your thinking, Lawrence! Thanks for visiting Wonderopolis today and leaving us a comment! Thanks for summarizing an answer to today's Wonder, Sian Pi! You ROCK! Great question, Jason! We're not sure. Maybe it has something to do with the position of the giant fans on the hovercraft?

What do you think? We agree, it is hard to believe, Brooke! Yet, powerful fans can do the job. Here is another Wonder you may be interested in reading. It describes some other futuristic items we may see in the future. Wonder Can You Predict the Future? Enjoy, Wonder Friend! Absolutely, Kyle! A hovercraft is a vehicle, kind of like a boat, but it can also move across land.

It uses high-powered fans to lift it up, so that it can glide across water and land. Cool, huh? That sounds like an impressive hovercraft! We want you to be safe when you're building your very own hovercraft! How interesting that the first hovercraft was made out of only a few common things: "The scientific principles behind hovercrafts were first demonstrated by Sir Christopher Cockerell in He built a crude object out of a cat food can, a coffee can and some kitchen scales.

That's awesome news, Wonder Friend B! We are so glad that you learned something new from our hovercraft Wonder What a great question, Wonder Friend B! We can't predict the future, but we're very proud of you for thinking about technology and hovercrafts-- together they could do great things! That sounds like a fun invention idea, "Smile! Thanks so much for suggesting it!

We hope you had as much FUN as we did learning about hovercrafts in Wonderopolis today! Hovercrafts ARE cool, Mr. We're sorry your app doesn't show today's Wonder yet. We bet it will pop up very soon! We're not sure, Madyson, but we think it's because they "hover" over the ground and water and also they're "crafts" vehicles. We agree with you Hovercrafts have powerful engines that help create a cushion of air for the vehicle to move around on!

Thanks for visiting today's Wonder! Hello, Levi! That's OK, Rahul! Hovercraft are quiet too — far less noisy than a helicopter. Believe it or not, it is not unusual for birds in Madagascar to fly alongside the hovercraft in formation!

With the onset of global warming, extreme weather events are increasing. Places which have never experienced extreme rainfall, are being flooded for the first time, and areas prone to floods are at greater risk than ever before. Flooding is a major global relief issue — particularly when there are hurricanes or cyclones, which destroy homes and communities.

Hovercraft are particularly useful in flood relief work as they can operate over any water surface, regardless of what is submerged beneath. These large hovercraft can carry tons, enabling them to transport troops, military supplies, or even tanks.

Because they can access areas other vehicles cannot, hovercraft are also used by the military for humanitarian assistance, rescue missions and disaster relief efforts. A group in Niagara, Canada is hoping to use hovercraft to ferry tourists and workers from Toronto and Niagara each day. The hovercraft would be a cost-effective option for commuters who must drive or fly to Niagara. The hovercraft would also be helpful during inclement weather, as they can travel across ice and snow more safely than cars or trucks.