A hovercraft is a machine that propels air underneath itself in order
to lift itself up off of the ground. Hovercraft are extremely useful when carrying heavy items. Because a hovercraft doesn't
actually touch the ground, moving a heavy load on a hovercraft is a simple feat.
To most people, the word "hovercraft", strikes up images from "Back
to the Future" and thoughts of science fiction. Although the hovercraft seems like a machine from the twenty-second
century, the first hovercrafts were built a while back.
The first hovercraft was actually invented by a British man by the name
of Christopher Cockerill, in the early 1950's. Although they were just models at the time, the first full sized hovercrafts
were flown in 1959.
Many people think that just because a hovercraft "floats" above the ground,
they can't make one. This is absolutely not true!! Almost anyone with minimal mechanical skills can build a hovercraft with
parts found at most hardware stores. For more information on how you can learn to build a hovercraft, please see the
products page.
Above is a simple diagram of how a hovercraft works.
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