I Believe I Can’t Fly! Team 1: On Wings Like A Penguin

Team Members Team 1: On Wings Like A Penguin 1/9 Phil Baah-Sackey, Joe Englin, Chris Lowell, Eu Sung Chung

Problem There are some situations where neither aquatic vehicles nor land vehicles can access certain locations. In these situations an amphibious vehicle that travelled above the surface could reach these locations. Team 1: On Wings Like A Penguin 2/9

Christian Faith Concerns Build a safe product, no exposed motors, guarded propeller blades Build a reliable product, durable materials, parts don’t need to be replaced often Build an efficient product, high fuel economy Team 1: On Wings Like A Penguin 3/9

Project Design a two person hovercraft – roughly 400 lbs excess weight. Attain speeds of at least 25 mph. No specific customers, but various applications where a hovercraft would be ideal. Team 1: On Wings Like A Penguin 4/9

Design Skirt with air splitter Use two motors Triangular shape Dimensions – 10’ x 6’ Mainly foam and plywood Team 1: On Wings Like A Penguin 5/9

Initial Design Team 1: On Wings Like A Penguin 6/9

Alternative Solutions Skirt with holes Only one motor Rectangular design Materials/construction method Team 1: On Wings Like A Penguin 7/9

Obstacles How to balance the craft (air distribution) Throttle and rudder controls Working with unfamiliar materials Motor selection/sourcing Team 1: On Wings Like A Penguin 8/9

Accomplishments Determined rough dimensions Estimates of required thrust and lift Constructed a model Team 1: On Wings Like A Penguin 9/9

The End Questions? Team 1: On Wings Like A Penguin

How Does A Hover Craft Work? A hovercraft (or Air Cushion Vehicle) uses pressure differentials to lift itself off of the ground. Image Copyright Team 1: On Wings Like A Penguin

How Does a Hovercraft Turn? A hovercraft turns similarly to a boat. They typically use a pair of rudders mounted behind the thrust duct to control direction. Team 1: On Wings Like A Penguin

How Does a Hovercraft Stop? Hovercrafts can slow down easily because of aerodynamic drag Methods of stopping quickly are typically rotating the hovercraft 180 degrees (in small commercial applications), or having a transmission with a reverse gear in large applications. For cost reasons ours will be the first. Team 1: On Wings Like A Penguin

How Does a Hovercraft Stay Level? In order to balance properly, a hovercraft has to be well designed. The weight distribution must be even across the craft. Typically this means either passenger relocation, or a series of movable weights. Our design will more than likely be the first. Team 1: On Wings Like A Penguin

What Is the Skirt? The skirt is an inflatable tube underneath the hovercraft the keeps the high pressure air underneath the craft, in order to lift it. Skirts are made of durable rubberized materials, they are a hovercrafts “tires” The skirt is inflated, in our design, by ducting air into it from the lift fan. Team 1: On Wings Like A Penguin

Hull Design The hull itself will be made primarily of foam, bonded together and cut to our crafts shape. The outside of the hull, on the top of the craft will be covered in fiberglass, and painted so that it is not only smooth, but aesthetically pleasing. Team 1: On Wings Like A Penguin

Propellers We intend to construct both of our propellers ourselves. We will bond wood boards together and then cut/sand them to our final design, based on thrust/lift requirement calculations. Team 1: On Wings Like A Penguin