mrmoshe Posted July 11, 2007 Posted July 11, 2007 (edited) You may have to duck while fishing outside one day if this gets the green light. Revolutionary 'Wing In Ground' plane revealed Chinese scientists have reportedly developed a "Wing-In-Ground" (WIG) aircraft which can fly long distances just a few feet above the sea surface. The plane can fly as low as half a metre off the surface, hitting speeds of up to 300 kmh and can carry up to 4 tonnes on takeoff. "It's as safe as ships, although five or six times faster," associate professor Xu Zhengyu, vice-president of the research team at Tongji University in Shanghai, was quoted as saying. "And it can carry much more weight than ordinary planes while costing half as much and using half as much fuel." Wing In Ground effect refers to the reduction in drag experienced by an aircraft as it approaches a height approximately twice a wingspan's length off the ground or other level surface such as the sea. Xu said the plane could be flown for military use and border control. Tongji University planned to develop a 50-seat WIG by 2013, with 200 prototypes capable of carrying 200 to 400 tonnes scheduled for 2016 or 2017. "Taking advantage of the aerodynamics of the ground effect, which adds extra lift when flying at very low altitudes, the aircraft can fly close to the water's surface," the China Daily said. "This cuts back at least one third on fuel consumption, compared with standard planes of the same size, because the plane can benefit from air buoyancy." The WIG has been listed as one of three types of aircraft given the green light in the general aviation field by the State Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defence, Xu was quoted as saying. "However, the Civil Aviation Administration of China has yet to confirm aviation regulations at such low altitudes, which may become a problem," Xinhua said. Edited July 11, 2007 by MallacootaPete
copafisher Posted July 11, 2007 Posted July 11, 2007 Just needs a walk around up front and it would make a great platform.
Robbielites Posted July 11, 2007 Posted July 11, 2007 A mate that races F1 boats has been in my ear about doing this for years... His dream is to live on the Central Coast and run a "low flying boat" into work in the city on days he is needed there. I have been in his "toy" boat when it was decided to race the tourist helicoptor from Parramatta to the harbour bridge A decent backer like this idea has and I reckon it's not that far off Robbie..
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now