NZFF

Ekranoplan "“ even the word has an offbeat ring to it.
This is ALPHA's recently-freeware FS2002 model of the A-90 Orlenok.
For those who've been living without electronic communication for the last 15 years: an ekranoplan doesn't fly...
it is a ground effect vehicle, riding on the cushion of air its "wings" and body generate between it and land or water.
Think of it as a small ship that goes really quickly and you get the idea.



Airborne surprisingly quickly as the air cushion builds up under the "wings", you sort of just go shooting off the end of the runway.
It cruises along happily at 160 kts.
Ride is exceptional, and choppy seas don't worry it at all.
Turning can be a bit problematic "“ two options exist:
Either:
 Hit the power and go for a lunge over the top of the obstacle (Can jump surprisingly high) or, and this is not for beginners,
 Dip a float, (rather like dropping an oar off a rowboat.) Do it wrong, and it turns into a spectacular cartwheel"¦



Landing needs a bit of room, you just plop down in the water with the gear down, and waddle out.
Just some fun, the model is a bit aged.

This would make a great West Coast Ferry. From Picton, travel time would be about 3-4 hours.
Beats taking a bus out of Te Anau, any day.

Milford Sightseeing , the noise alone will kill that operation ! , The concept and were it came from ?- many a WW2 bomber and Coastal Command aircraft return,d crossing the North Sea and Atlantic in such a back condition , shot to hell , bits falling off and sometimes only half a plane to the surprise of erks and base commanders .

Charl your mention off Picton ... Fast Ferry Maybe , another possible ............. ULTRA -HEAVY-NZCouriers-FAST door to door delivery

Only thing stopping this idea , be the Greenies and bloody Tree Huggers .....

LOVE IT

Nice! I've got that model, as well as the LUN class model... makes the A-90 look tiny



See here: http://autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&A=1306&P=1
And here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lun-class_ekranoplan

Frankly, I'd give my left one to go for a blast in one

Ian Warren wrote:

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Mar 2 2008, 01:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

...Tree Huggers ...

Yer...West Coast full of Tree Huggers...

Alfashark wrote:

QUOTE (Alfashark @ Mar 2 2008, 03:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nice! I've got that model, as well as the LUN class model... makes the A-90 look tiny

Yeah they really are sorta ship size to work best.
Boeing keeps on looking at their Pelican which can move the whole continental United States to Iraq, and back, in 24 hours