Hovercraft Pilot Training: Fire District 19, Silvana, Washington USA

Emergency responders from Fire District 19 in Silvana, Washington, spent a cold March weekend at Neoteric Hovercraft to complete the Neoteric Hovercraft Pilot Training Program.

Upon their arrival at the Wabash River training site on Saturday, instructor Chris Fitzgerald illustrates to Assistant Fire Chief Jeremy Swearengin (left) and firefighter/EMT Trent Nunemaker (right), the ease of unloading the Neoteric training HoverTrek from its trailer ...

After a thorough review of the HoverTrek's operational systems and a quick skirt repair, Fitzgerald and Swearengin launch the hovercraft in below-freezing air temperature on the swift flowing river ... 

 

After Swearengin (left) and Nunemaker (right) received classroom instruction and extensive flight training on both land and water, they receive their Class III Hovercraft Pilot Certificates from Fitzgerald ...

Swearengin and Nunemaker both serve on the Stillagaumish Water Rescue Team, an interagency cooperative effort that includes their Fire District 19 in Silvana along with Districts 21 in Arlington Heights, 24 in Darrington and 25 in Oso. The Stillaguamish Water Rescue Team has a number of nationally certified water rescue technicians, two hovercraft, two inflatable craft, and thousands of dollars in water rescue equipment to respond to calls for help on the regional river systems and lakes.

Neoteric Hovercraft has trained and certified rescue, recreational, commercial and military hovercraft pilots from across the world for more than 30 years. Neoteric’s Hovercraft Pilot Training Program is the most comprehensive light hovercraft pilot training course available.