Ripoff Report: AirWing.ru counterfeits Neoteric Hovercraft

If the old adage “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” is true, then Neoteric should be flattered, since the HoverTrek™ is the most copied hovercraft in the world. But knockoff Gucci handbags are one thing; counterfeit hovercraft that can endanger consumers are an entirely different matter.

This problem should not be underestimated. Since hovercraft are increasingly used in rescue operations, there is great concern in the international hovercraft industry that these imitations seriously threaten the lives of first responders, as well as the lives of those they’re tasked to save. In addition to the public safety hazards of counterfeit products, industrial/economic espionage costs the United States hundreds of billions of dollars a year. The FBI states that the Cold War is not over; it has simply taken on a different form – Economic War – and this war has been designated as the FBI’s #2 priority, second only to terrorism.

Who is committing this espionage? In a recent report to Congress from the National Counterintelligence Executive, China is named as the leading culprit, followed closely by Russia. And counterfeiting is a growing problem in Russia; a Russian Interior Ministry investigation reports that up to a third of everything sold to consumers in Russia is counterfeit.

This Russian problem has directly affected Neoteric. A company in St. Petersburg, Russia, AirWing.ru (aka Production Company “MSK” / 000 Aeroslava), has committed industrial/economic espionage and intellectual property theft against Neoteric by illegally manufacturing counterfeit copies of the patented Neoteric HoverTrek™. These counterfeits were first marketed by AirWing as the “Niaterek” (In a 2013 court action, AirWing stated they decided to call their hovercraft ‘Niaterek’ because they thought this name would attract more customers who would associate it with “the famous American manufacturer"). The company is now marketing the counterfeit as the “AirwingNeoteric” – the name itself constituting intellectual property theft.

In this video posted yesterday, AirWing is touting their counterfeit hovercraft via Russian television news. We are in the process of reporting the video to appropriate agencies …

And here are illegal copies of the Neoteric HoverTrek™ in production at AirWing's assembly facility in Russia ...

Neoteric and our licensed Russian agent LL Sirius/Christy Hovercraft are working with the General Directorate Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, as well as the FBI, CIA and U.S. Department of Commerce to curtail the illegal actions of AirWing. Since the U.S. and Russia have recently agreed upon an “Intellectual Property Rights Action Plan”, we will now enlist the aid of additional agencies to stop this theft.

In the meantime, we highly encourage all potential hovercraft buyers to thoroughly research companies to make certain that you’re purchasing from the original, experienced, reputable manufacturer and not a counterfeiter. Your life could depend upon it.

Read the World Hovercraft Organization’s Ripoff Report for

full details of AirWing’s crimes …

VIDEO: Deck the HoverTrek with Boughs of Holly!

All of us at Neoteric Hovercraft wish you a Merry Christmas!

And here's a little gift for you. Watch as Neoteric customer MedCity Hovercraft shows you the best way to get the elf off the shelf. (Yes, this is the same hovercraft that performed that magnificent deer rescue earlier this year) ...

Announcing the First Annual Havasu HoverFest

Hovercraft events take place all over the world, but Neoteric customer Gary Meyers is organizing one that’s sure to be a great hit. The First Annual Havasu HoverFest is coming up April 10-12, 2015 as a part of the largest boat show in the West – the Lake Havasu Boat Show in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

The HoverFest will include demonstrations, time trials off the beach, and a cruise up the Colorado River. Here’s a photo of Gary on the Colorado River, with the scenic Topock Gorge in the background …

Now, enjoy a quick preview of the HoverFest - hop on board and take a cruise up the Colorado with Gary in “Neo”, his Neoteric HoverTrek™ …

Gary reports, “I am still entirely enjoying Neo on and around Lake Havasu. This is the perfect terrain for recreational hovercrafting, with plenty of flat lands, beaches, water, and river areas to explore. The Neoteric can easily maneuver in areas not accessible to other boaters.  While passing near some of the shorelines, I often see a lot of faces being obscured by cameras and smart phones! This is fun!”

We’ll keep you updated as Havasu HoverFest plans develop. In the meantime …

Register to participate in the First Annual Havasu HoverFest …

Bubba Claus ‘raps’ his Christmas gift – on his Neoteric Hovercraft Golf Cart

Bubba Watson has released a new Christmas-themed rap video as a gift to his fans, featuring his Neoteric-manufactured hovercraft golf cart, the BW1. And, like his viral video Bubba’s Hover, it’s taking the media by storm … although to somewhat mixed reviews.

The UK’s Daily Mail wrote, “Every rapper should have a cool set of wheels – and Watson’s golf buggy certainly oozes class!”

But the Golf Channel says, “Bubba Claus brings joy to your heart, pain to your ears.”

The Washington Post reported, “Bubba Watson knows the best way to offer a Christmas gift … he breaks out his hovercraft, making sure to remind everyone that he owns this awesome vehicle in the chorus:

“I just touched down in my hovercraft

I bet you wanna know what’s in my bag

Is it golf clubs or a bag of toys?

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Bubba Claus!”

Is this an instant replay of the recent Browns/Bengals game, where fans loved the hovercraft but not the game? Watch the video, “Bubba Claus – The Single” then leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Cleveland Browns: 0 … Hovercraft Halftime Show: Touchdown!

Over the weekend, Windy Knoll Golf Club’s two Neoteric HoverGolf™ Carts were the star of the show at the Cleveland Browns-Cincinnati Bengals game at FirstEnergy Stadium. Windy Knoll was the first golf course in the U.S. to own official replicas of Bubba's Hover, Bubba Watson's BW1 hovercraft golf cart.

Steve Stafford, flight instructor at Hovercraft Training Centers, organized the hovercraft halftime show and described the action:  “At halftime, we fired up the hovercraft and flew around the field. Next, we each raced a passenger around some flags to the other end, where they got out and donned pink bunny suits,” he reported. “Then they both got back in, were hovered back to the starting point, where they each had to change bunny suits with their partner. After switching suits, both partners were flown back to the other end zone. The first one back got first choice of a gift held by each of the mascots. Both gifts were all-expense paid trips to upcoming football events.”

No fumbles in the hovercraft action! But the game itself was another story. Fans and media alike praised the hovercraft halftime show over the game.

The Wall Street Journal, in “Johnny Football Gets Deflated” wrote: “At halftime, people in pink bunny costumes raced hovercraft on the field. This was the highlight of the afternoon.”

A fan Tweeted, “Hovercraft race at halftime in Cleveland. It is approximately 400 times more interesting than the football game so far.”

The Washington Post  reported the live action, writing at halftime, “I am sure hovercraft racing at halftime will make fans forget all about what they just witnessed,” then after the game reported, “Alas, not even the hovercraft could help turn the momentum Cleveland’s way in the second half.”

In the end, the Bengals rolled past the Browns in a 30 – 0 rout. But the Neoteric HoverGolf™ Carts were a definite winner!

Enjoy a few photos below of the hovercraft scoring points …

At Cleveland's FirstEnergy Stadium, Windy Knoll's Neoteric HoverGolf™ Carts wait to enter the field:

In the Cleveland Browns' Dawg Pound, the hovercraft golf carts are ready for their halftime performance:

Left to right: Crew member Jody East, pilot Steve Stafford, pilot Preson Aleshire, and Cleveland Browns mascot Brownie the Elf inside the hovercraft:

Cleveland Browns mascot, Chomps, squeezes inside one of the Windy Knoll Neoteric HoverGolf™ Carts:

Touchdown! The Neoteric Hovercraft golf carts fly the race contenders during the halftime show, capturing more positive attention than the game itself:

Read more about Windy Knoll’s Neoteric Hovercraft golf carts …

Hovercraft: The novelty never ends

Here’s a familiar scenario: someone buys a vehicle for recreation – a jet ski, a boat, a snowmobile – to use it a few times, then the novelty wears off and it ends up languishing in their garage, or they sell it.

This is rarely the case with a hovercraft, and Barry Eison’s story is the perfect example. Barry, a 56-year-old mechanical engineer from Tennessee, purchased a 4-passenger Neoteric HoverTrek™ a year ago and his enjoyment of his hovercraft continues to grow.

Barry bought a hovercraft because “Every time we go out hunting, fishing, exploring, we see places we can’t get to. So many areas are inaccessible. Duck hunting is big in my area and one of the biggest frustrations for duck hunters is you have to be able to go from water to land to water – a hovercraft makes that possible.”

One reason the novelty of his hovercraft hasn’t worn off is that Barry entered his new adventure wisely - first, by purchasing the right hovercraft. “I’ve been looking at hovercraft for five years,” he said. “I’ve looked at every hovercraft company out there … Neoteric is the only one that doesn’t have a single negative review.” And next, by undergoing pilot training at Hovercraft Training Centers.

Barry Eison (right) accepts his Hovercraft Pilot Certification from
Neoteric President/HTC Senior Flight Instructor Chris Fitzgerald.

As do most of our customers, Barry stays in frequent communication with us at Neoteric. You can see from a few of his emails over the last year how his hovercraft is definitely not going to end up languishing in his garage! …

August 27, 2014:

“My overall thoughts to date are:

1) I love this machine. The more I use it, the more I realize the engineering and research & development that went into its development.

2) I want to experiment with different material for the bags.

3) This craft would be easy to learn to drive if someone drove it who had never driven anything else.

4) I am becoming quite confident with it and absolutely cannot wait to get it out hunting this winter. It has already opened up areas that I have hunted my entire life but have never been able to access. Well done, Neoteric, well done.”

November 12, 2014:

“The hovercraft has performed very well on the Mississippi River and in and around the barge traffic we encounter. I was able to harvest my first deer from an area that I was previously unable to access but can now using the hovercraft. The state game wardens think it is fascinating and have given me the green light to use it freely on land or water within their motorized vehicle guidelines.”

December 15, 2014:

“I took the hovercraft out on the Mississippi River on Friday afternoon and deliberately targeted rough waters (barge wakes, small whirlpools, traversing small rapids over rock dikes, swift current) and the craft performed absolutely flawlessly. The more I use it the more impressed with it I am. My only regret is that I wish that I had ordered the six person craft versus the four person. 

You may want to pass this on to other clients who purchase your hovercraft in the future. Do not take the training manual home and set it on a shelf. Print it, put it in a notebook and READ IT. Everything you need to know about the craft is enclosed! It has been a godsend for me.”

Read more comments from Neoteric customers …

VIDEO: Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft in use around the world

Neoteric rescue hovercraft are being utilized to save lives in nations all around the world, and here’s just one example. Early this year, Neoteric President Chris Fitzgerald traveled to Hanoi to deliver two new Neoteric Rescue HoverTreks to Tuyet Nga Co. Ltd., a security and rescue equipment supplier. As Hovercraft Training Centers’ Senior Flight Instructor, Fitzgerald also conducted flight and maintenance training for Tuyet Nga personnel as well as first responders from Vietnam’s National Department of Rescue & Relief.

At Viet Nam’s Emergency Response Training headquarters near Hanoi, Chris Fitzgerald (5^th from left)
and officials from Tuyet NGA and the Department of Rescue and Relief
join hands in a symbolic gesture of partnership.

The hovercraft are great assets to a nation so often plagued by floods and monsoons. And professional pilot training is also a great asset – especially when it teaches you how to train others. In this recent video, the pilots trained by Chris Fitzgerald are conducting training in Vietnam for additional first responders from Brigade 249 of the Public Affairs Command, who will utilize the hovercraft for search & rescue and military operations …

Learn more about Neoteric Hovercraft ...

Neoteric in the News: Munitions Detection Using Hovercraft

From mainstream media across the world, to highly specialized publications, Neoteric hovercraft and our customers are continuously newsworthy. The following article, published in the September 2014 edition of the Environmental & Engineering Geophysical Society's magazine FastTIMES, reviews yet another use for the Neoteric HoverTrek™ - the detection of unexploded ordnance over shallow coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea ...
 
Tetra Tech MEC/UXO Detection System Deploys via Neoteric Hovercraft

Tetra Tech, Inc., in collaboration with Neoteric Hovercraft, Inc., has produced a new environmentally-sensitive munitions detection system capable of accessing shallow areas where no other watercraft is able to travel and where sensitive habitat is only inches beneath the water’s surface. Tetra Tech’s in-house developed TEMA (Towed Electromagnetic Array) attaches to the company’s customized Neoteric hovercraft to permit MEC/UXO detection in areas previously accessible only by more expensive, less sensitive aircraft-based systems.

In an early prototype developmental model Neoteric hovercraft, the TEMA system

is tested and evaluated to determine the optimal pivoting and pushing system.

Richard Funk, Senior Geophysicist with Tetra Tech’s Marine Mapping Group, describes the TEMA’s unique features: “Unlike a magnetometer, the TEMA is an active sensor that can detect all metals, ferrous and non-ferrous. Its detectors are focused, so they’re not affected by nearby metal structures such as piers, bulkheads and bridges. Data from all devices – multiple high-power EM sensors, altimeters, positioning sensors and video/still cameras – is recorded in real time. The 3-meter swath coverage and the use of high-power EM units increases survey power, with lower operational costs and better detection capabilities.”

Tetra Tech has researched the use of hovercraft for MEC/UXO survey for many years, particularly for use in difficult areas for data collection, such as shorelines and surf zones. “Our goal is to push it to the next level so we can go where other people can’t go,” Funk says, “A hovercraft takes you places you can’t go with conventional craft, places that are too shallow for a boat, places you can’t walk.”

Tetra Tech selected Neoteric to manufacture their hovercraft because “Neoteric’s HoverTrek™ outmaneuvers other hovercraft on the market, and our projects demand that increased control,” said Funk. “Additionally, Neoteric has decades of experience custom-manufacturing their hovercraft to client specifications, and we were impressed by the company’s mandate that repeated testing be performed throughout the customization of our hovercraft.” The craft’s customizations include mounting points for the TEMA sensor array, mounts for the electronics modules, mounts for the pilot’s display and data collectors’ displays, a table for data collectors, TEMA battery mounts, GPS antenna mounts, and a bimini top.

Tetra Tech’s fully customized Neoteric HoverTrek™ is prepared for its final over-water testing.

The unusual maneuverability of the Neoteric hovercraft is attained through a patented fly-by-wire reverse thrust system, which makes it the only hovercraft on the market with effective brakes. As Neoteric President Chris Fitzgerald explains, “Our reverse thrust system surpasses jet aircraft in efficiency; while most aircraft deliver an average of 18 percent thrust in reverse, the HoverTrek™ delivers 60 percent. Unlike other hovercraft, the HoverTrek™ can fly backward, spin, and hover over ice and on swift water.”

Tetra Tech will deploy its new hovercraft-based munitions detection system in early 2015 to conduct Phase 2 of an ongoing MEC/UXO remedial investigation and feasibility study at a Defense Environmental Restoration Program (DERP) for Formerly Used Defense sites (FUDS) area in the Caribbean. The site was an impact range for aerial bombs and rockets, missiles, mortars and naval projectiles from 1903 until 1975.

The entire site comprises 1,030 acres; the area to be surveyed with the TEMA-equipped Neoteric hovercraft is more than 200 acres of shallow coral reefs with listed and protected corals. This area was originally excluded from the survey due to the potential for damaging the coral. By using the Neoteric HoverTrek™, which hovers nine inches above the surface of the water, Tetra Tech can now complete the survey with confidence that the coral reefs are in no danger of harm.

The pairing of the TEMA system with the Neoteric hovercraft’s low environmental footprint - less than 1/30^th that of a human foot – is an excellent example of how the perfect vehicle for the job can also be the perfect vehicle for the environment, allowing personnel to work safely and efficiently while protecting sensitive habitat.

About Tetra Tech, Inc.:

Founded in 1966, Tetra Tech is a consulting, engineering, construction management and technical services firm with 14,000 employees and 330 offices worldwide. Based in Pasadena, California, Tetra Tech has decades of experience with MEC/UXO detection and remediation for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and commercial clients.

www.tetratech.com

About Neoteric Hovercraft, Inc.:

Founded in 1960 and based in Terre Haute, Indiana, Neoteric Hovercraft, Inc. is the world’s original light hovercraft manufacturer. The Neoteric HoverTrek™, the only hovercraft in the industry with effective brakes, is utilized in commercial, rescue, recreational and military operations in more than 50 countries.

www.neoterichovercraft.com

From our customers: 
More commercial applications for Neoteric hovercraft ...

Hovercraft in Minnesota Mining Operations

When you think of vehicles used in mining operations, a hovercraft may not come to mind … unless you have the foresight of David Olson. Olson’s company, D & T Landscaping, Inc., is under contract to seed and reforest, as well as to manage environmental hazards such as blowing dust, at a major taconite mining region on the Mesabi Iron Range in Minnesota.

Some background: Taconite is an iron-bearing sedimentary rock, a low-grade iron ore. When high-grade natural iron ore was plentiful, taconite was considered a waste rock, but the industry recognized its value as the supply of natural ore diminished. After years of research, scientists and engineers at the University of Minnesota developed a way to extract the iron ore from taconite, which is mined in opencut mines, then crushed, processed into small pellets and shipped to steel mills.

David Olson explains what happens during the process: “As the rock is crushed, the residue is mixed with water and pumped into tailings ponds to dry out. As that surface dries, the dust is picked up by the wind and can be blown into nearby towns. Mining companies are strictly mandated by state and federal regulations to control environmental issues such as dust.”

But how can hovercraft help solve this problem? “We need something different. We use tractors and piston bullies, but they don’t work well in a soft environment. The surface is like quicksand; it does build a crust as it starts to dry, but you can’t stand or walk on it. Our situation is basically mud,” Olson says. “We’re looking into using a liquid dust suppression agent on the tailings, and we need to be able to get out to places where our current technology doesn’t take us. I want to see if hovercraft can help us facilitate that process. ”

Olson’s first step was to take a one-day standard pilot training course at Hovercraft Training Centers in order to familiarize himself with hovercraft technology and to evaluate the capabilities of the Neoteric range of light hovercraft ...

At the controls, David Olson learns to fly a Neoteric Hovercraft at HTC,

with Senior Instructor Chris Fitzgerald providing directions as needed.

After his day at Neoteric and Hovercraft Training Centers, Olson was convinced that hovercraft would do the job. “Even if we can cover 80% of what’s not being covered today, that’s a significant improvement,” he said. And he found it to be an enjoyable experience, adding, “It’s pretty exhilarating. It’s fun! I could see myself personally wanting one. And it’s much more stable than I anticipated.”

Olson was reasonably sure after his training that hovercraft could help spread the surface sealant agent that he was considering. His next step was to arrange an on-site evaluation at a Minnesota mining site to see how the hovercraft would handle the variable, soft and sticky surface of the tailings ponds ...

Neoteric President Chris Fitzgerald and David Olson test the hovercraft’s performance

over the challenging terrain at a Minnesota taconite mining site.

A closeup of the muddy surface of the mining site’s tailings ponds.

The evaluation looked promising and Olson believed that hovercraft would give him the opportunity to expand the surfaces he could reach. So, working with Neoteric, a set of requirements for application rate and acreage covered per hour were developed, along with various scenarios to be evaluated for the purpose of optimizing the spraying operation. An application rate of 30 gallons per minute was deemed necessary in order to cover the vast area with which Olson must deal.

This resulted in an order for two hovercraft each capable of carrying 100 gallons of the dust suppression agent/water mixture, fuel, a pilot and a lightweight spraying system ...

Neoteric President Chris Fitzgerald (right) discusses fuel tank position with assembly factory supervisor

Eric Whalin during the manufacturer and installation of the spraying system.

Since all off-the-shelf commercial spraying systems were too heavy, Neoteric fabricated

the special lightweight tanks used to transport and store 100 gallons of dust suppression agent

aboard the D & T Landscaping hovercraft. 

Neoteric designed, built and tested two spraying systems, one for each D & T hovercraft, in record time because the weather was rapidly deteriorating in northern Minnesota. And the entire pumping system and tank weighed just 80 pounds!

These two videos of Chris Fitzgerald testing one of the completed craft illustrates the high degree of control the Neoteric hovercraft's reverse thrust system will give D & T Landscaping ...

Finally, Chris Fitzgerald and HTC flight instructor Steve Stafford delivered the two hovercraft to Olson in Minnesota and conducted flight training for D & T Landscaping personnel at the actual taconite mining site, with the crafts’ dust suppression systems in full operation.

Upon arrival at the mining field, Chris Fitzgerald (left) meets with David Olson.

The truck at the left gives an indication of the dust problem that the hovercraft will help ameliorate.

Here’s a video clip of a practice session showing one of the two hovercraft moving across the cracked, sticky mud while a trainee practices hovercraft piloting and dust suppression spraying …

The tanks of the dust suppression system are refilled during flight training

at a taconite mining site near Hibbing, Minnesota.

D & T Landscaping personnel enjoyed their flight training and were impressed with how

the hovercraft will expand their capabilities. With Neoteric President Chris Fitzgerald (left)

are Jason Martire, T.J. Lamping, Doug Grovenburg and David Olson.

The Neoteric hovercraft utilized by D & T Landscaping will increase the reach and speed of their dust suppression efforts. Hovercraft expand access to areas on the mining site that are difficult for other vehicles to reach, and they operate less expensively than other vehicles. Hovercraft also move much faster than tractors or piston bullies, which can become stuck in the mud.

In addition, the hovercraft are controlled internally by D & T Landscaping without the need to rely on outside contractors to provide, for example, helicopter services. Helicopters have been used in the past by D & T to attempt to manage the blowing dust problem.

The use of hovercraft for dust suppression in taconite and other similar mining operations can protect companies from legal actions and expensive dust cleanup in nearby regions. Make no mistake, this industry is vital to Minnesota, which is the largest producer of taconite and iron ore in the United States. During World War II, one-fourth of all the steel used in the United States came from this area and Minnesota’s Iron Range currently contributes more than $1.8 billion to the state’s economy. Taconite saved Minnesota’s iron ore mining industry and is the largest employer in the central iron range region. And reports suggest that taconite reserves exist in this area to last at least the next 100 years.

Photo gallery: Hovercraft in action at the Minnesota taconite mine …

Neoteric Hovercraft in Gold Mining and Coal Mining

The Minnesota project is not the first time Neoteric hovercraft have played an important role in the mining industry. In the past and present, our craft have been employed in similar mining operations, such as accessing tailings ponds at cyanide gold leaching mines in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, South  Carolina and Montana.

Neoteric craft are also utilized in coal mining operations and at coal fired power plants, which often slurry coal or residual ash for the purpose of transportation to storage or waste slurry ponds. The hovercraft are used to safely traverse the ponds’ surface for rescue of personnel and wildlife, for surveying, to check chemical levels and to transport work crews needed to position infill piping ...

Here, First Energy Corp. of Pittsburgh, PA uses their hovercraft for
surveying, sampling, seeding and inspecting waste ash pumped from a power plant
seven miles away. See more photos ...

A Neoteric hovercraft conducts an ash pond study at the Duke Energy 
electrical plant on the Wabash River in Terre Haute, IN. See more photos ...

Neoteric hovercraft have also proved to be a vital tool where similar conditions
and requirements exist, such as in dredging operations in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland 
(shown here) and in rebuilding barrier islands in Mississippi. See more photos ...

Neoteric Hovercraft as an Educational Tool

Keeping students engaged in the learning process is possibly a teacher’s greatest challenge. Understanding the amazing ability of hovercraft to captivate audiences of all ages, Neoteric and President Chris Fitzgerald have long been actively involved in education and working with students.  For instance, Chris is the founder of the DiscoverHover International School Hovercraft Program and, in addition, he often personally visits schools to introduce hovercraft and hosts students at Neoteric as well.

Our customers also generously share this spirit and use their hovercraft to work with students. Here’s a video of MedCity Hovercraft in Minnesota mentoring the Chanhassen High School Engineering Group with their Neoteric hovercraft …

By the way, this hovercraft is the same one MedCity used to rescue two deer trapped on an icy lake – if you haven’t seen it, here’s the video.

Here are a couple more examples of the educational value of hovercraft:

Neoteric Hovercraft makes learning fun at Sarah Scott Middle School

Students from Seoul, South Korea tour Neoteric Hovercraft

Whether you’re a teacher or a parent – or a kid yourself - a hovercraft is the ideal way to get youth of all ages fascinated with their education. From aerodynamics, mathematics and physics to painting, sewing, woodworking and much more, hovercraft can be used to impart knowledge in a wide area of subjects – and, even better, make it fun!

Get started today! Join the DiscoverHover program or, like Blake Resnick, HTC’s youngest student pilot so far, treat your student to a Test Flight or Training Course at Hovercraft Training Centers.

The Increasing Importance of Hovercraft

Maritime Reporter and Marine News magazines recently published an article emphasizing the need for hovercraft to play a growing role in maritime operations, due to their singular ability to travel where no other vehicle can go. Here are a few excerpts:

Extreme Applications Demand Specialist Small Craft

With 90% of world trade transported by sea then passing through ports and waterways, no amount of technology will replace the requirement for multiple small fast craft and skilled operators.

Mobility plus the ability to operate in shallow areas are critical capabilities for small craft. 

Rising Up: Hovercraft

Small hovercraft have a growing role to play in search and rescue, commercial and military operations around the world. Hovercraft can be a practical proposition for operations in areas inaccessible to other vehicles including frozen water, mud flats, intertidal areas, shallow rivers and flooded inland areas. Perceived to be environmentally sound, as they don’t exhaust into the water, create no wash and do not disturb the sea bed, they are also economical and do not endanger marine animals as there is no propeller in the water. 

###

Enjoy a few photos of Neoteric hovercraft in action around the world

that confirm these capabilities ...

Neoteric commercial hovercraft utilized in Kuwait intertidal zone

Neoteric hovercraft were used on Kuwait's intertidal zone to survey the environmental damage inflicted by the 1991 Persian Gulf War oil fires. The hovercraft was the only vehicle capable of operating on the thick mud.

Wilkes-Barre Fire Department Neoteric rescue hovercraft

The Wilkes-Barre Fire Department’s Neoteric rescue hovercraft soars over broken ice on the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania during ice rescue practice. The craft’s 9-inch deep air cushion and patented reverse thrust enables it to safely maneuver over jagged, broken, snow-covered ice floes.

Neoteric rescue hovercraft deployed in 2014 Washington mudslide

Snohomish County Fire District 19’s rescue hovercraft were deployed from the initial alarm at the massive Oso, Washington mudslide. First responder Trent Nunemaker said, “Our hovercraft can navigate through floating debris and logs, so we’re able to cross the flooded valley and access the debris field. These Neoteric craft are able to quickly and safely access almost any environment.”

Finally, you’ve probably seen the viral video of the Neoteric craft rescuing three exhausted deer, stranded on the ice for days on Albert Lea Lake in Minnesota - but it's worth watching again! 

As the media reported, "Hovercraft are kind of a genius idea here ... Boats and jet skis are pretty useless on ice and snowmobiles fall through ice if it won't hold their weight. Hovercraft can fly over any surface, so they save many lives. If you fall through the ice, or get sucked into mud or quicksand, better hope someone locally has a hovercraft handy."

Nine inches above the Wabash

The Daily Republican Register recently published the following article about a week-long advanced flight training session conducted by Neoteric and Hovercraft Training Centers for an official from the Albuquerque Police Department. The training was assisted by first responders from the White River Hazleton Fire Department and their Neoteric rescue hovercraft.

Check back soon for full details and a photo gallery!

By Amber L. Nixon

MT. CARMEL - Neoteric Hovercraft, Inc. came to the Wabash River early Thursday morning to train several members of their one-week program.

The trainers, Chris Fitzgerald and Steve Stafford, have been giving advanced lessons to the group on the technique of piloting the craft both day and night, the mechanics of how the craft works and learning how to navigate swift water.

Albuquerque Police Officer Andy Montoya traveled from New Mexico to refresh his memory on the practices as well as learn how to pass on the skill.

“I finally had the chance to train with Neoteric up here, and since I hope to retire in a few years I need to be able to train others to eventually take my place,” said Montoya.

The group of trainees was out on the Wabash all day Thursday, staying until after dark to learn how to use night vision scopes and practice night rescue operations.

The White River Hazleton Fire Department have been involved in the past with three hovercraft rescues along the Wabash River, as well as several Gibson and Knox County rescues.

Mark Ellis pilots the White River Hazleton Neoteric hovercraft with other members of Hazleton’s Volunteer Fire Department during the training on the Wabash Thursday morning. The craft hovers nine inches above the water and makes it easier to maneuver in shallow waters, meaning it can be an invaluable tool in rescue. 

The volunteers consist of at least seven people who have had experience with the hovercraft, two of which are accompanying Chief Mark Ellis in the program with Fitzgerald and Stafford.

With the hovercraft balancing nine inches off the water, their experience can come in handy with the more advanced training over the rest of the week.

“The crew needs to know how to maneuver the hovercraft and how their movement can affect it,” said Ellis, “It can be very important in rescue.”

Although balance has to be watched while on the craft, those nine inches can be a definite bonus in rescue.

“The hovercraft can go right over a log, rocky shallow waters, sand, mud, you name it,” said Ellis.

The versatility of the craft has become a vital tool in rescue throughout the years and, as with any tool, it will continue to be used to its best advantage with well-trained professions.

Are Hovercraft Going to the Dogs?

When Neoteric President Chris Fitzgerald boarded his HoverTrek™ to participate in the Hoverclub of America’s Wabash Cannonball Cruise, he really ‘put on the dog’ – his 3-year-old poodle mix, named Zoe! (But be forewarned: if you refer to Zoe as Fitzgerald’s “pet”, you’ll be barking up the wrong tree; she prefers “HoverQueen”) …

“It’s raining cats & dogs!

Bring the HoverQueen her royal umbrella!” 

said Zoe as she withstood the weather.

This was Zoe’s first hovercraft cruise and she thoroughly enjoyed it, even during the rain. As befitting hover royalty, Zoe wore her earplugs without the least complaint as she cruised the historic Wabash River. She was so relaxed, the HoverQueen even napped on the return trip to Vincennes, Indiana, even though the river, at flood stage, was moving more than 5 mph.

But HoverQueen Zoe Fitzgerald isn’t the only canine who revels in hover cruising. Dogs may be man’s best friend but poodles, in particular, prefer hovercraft. You’ve all met Joey Meyers, the Official Hovercraft Training Centers HoverPup – a 4-year-old poodle mix …

Joey says, “I double dog dare you to have more fun in those airplanes than in my Neoteric Hovercraft!”

Zoe and Joey are simply following an historic trend – particularly in their choice of Neoteric Hovercraft. History shows that man’s best friend has always recognized the latest and greatest in vehicles. Back in 1903, when the Ford Motor Company was incorporated, a dog named Bud accompanied Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson and a mechanic named Crocker on the first U.S. transcontinental automobile trip. On their grueling ride through the rugged U.S. West - where there were no roads - Bud wore goggles during their entire journey in an open-top Winton touring car. Jackson and Crocker (and Bud) were hailed as heroes and inspired a generation of automobile enthusiasts.

In the U.S, Western Europe and China alone, there are more than 200 million households managed by dogs. Just imagine what could happen if the publicity hounds get the word out that the latest and greatest vehicle is the hovercraft - Bubba’s Hover could become Puppy’s Hover!

See what the top dogs are barking about:

Take a Test Flight or Flight Training Course in a Neoteric Hovercraft!