#ThrowbackThursday: Neoteric has come a long way since the 1960s

For #TBT, these excerpts from a 1966 Australian newspaper article give you a glimpse of the origin of Neoteric Hovercraft …

Successful Hovercraft Trials on Lake Colac

Two days of hovercraft trials climaxed yesterday when a blue and yellow experimental hovercraft skimmed from a paddock at Cororooke across Lake Colac and up the shore near Ross’ Point.

Aeronautical research technician Chris Fitzgerald swings the propeller of the hovercraft for a trail run

in Mr. Ted Boylan’s paddock at Cororooke. In the cockpit is pilot Rob Wilson. 

More than 20 carloads of people went to the lake yesterday afternoon to watch the craft … it rose gently on a cushion of air and with the slipstream from its aircraft propeller fanning the onlookers, it skimmed smoothly across the grass – for about 100 yards.

Then it came to a sudden halt “aground” in a slight depression in the paddock. It took four men on the end of a rope to get it moving again. “Far too rough,” muttered the leader of the team, 22-year-old Chris Fitzgerald. “We’ll keep getting stuck.”

But he and his assistants were not out to turn on a display. The purpose of their visit to Colac was to carry out final trials with the one-man, 16-foot hovercraft to iron out technical problems before going ahead with building a larger hovercraft capable of carrying four people and skimming two feet off the ground. Their present hovercraft has a clearance of little more than 4 inches.

Then the hovercraft struck a heap of rocks in the paddock, tearing the fiberglass curtains which retain the air under it and damaging the bow. This affected the performance of the craft but the team decided to go ahead with runs over the lake … finally the hovercraft glided in a wide arc across the smooth water and up onto the shore. Cameramen and photographers recorded the run.

The idea of building the hovercraft originated in the minds of a group of former ATC cadets who were studying at the School of Mechanical Engineering at Melbourne University four years ago. They joined forces under the name of “Australian Air Cushion Vehicles Development”, which they hope to register soon as a company.

The original group of about 20 University students has dwindled to three, but they are keen to push ahead and have already prepared plans for a larger 100 hp hovercraft. They are Chris Fitzgerald, a technical assistant at the Aeronautical Research Laboratories; Rob Wilson, 21, an automotive technician with the Gas and Fuel Corporation; and Ron Davies, a Melbourne fireman.

Check out today’s Neoteric Hovercraft …

#TBT: Neoteric Hovercraft’s First Customer

Rarely can a company credit its origin to a single individual or family. Neoteric Hovercraft is proud to be one of those rare companies, with great thanks to the Talmage family of Long Island, New York, who helped launch Neoteric in the USA.

In the mid-1960s, John Talmage, a farmer and a pilot, and his 5- and 9-year old sons Henry and Bill, built a hovercraft from photos he’d seen in Popular Mechanics. Today, the original Talmage hovercraft hangs from the rafters of an aircraft hangar on their farm …

What followed is a true example of “six degrees of separation”. When he built his hovercraft, John’s sister Mary Ellen lived in Melbourne, Australia. Her landlord was Derrick Ravenscroft, a British draftsman at The Aeronautical Research Laboratories, where Neoteric’s now-President Chris Fitzgerald was employed. Mary Ellen showed Ravenscroft photos of “the crazy thing my brother and his sons built.” Ravenscroft then showed the photos to Fitzgerald.

In 1970, while on a world hovercraft research tour provided by his Rotary International Foundation award, Chris Fitzgerald visited the Talmages on Long Island and a lifelong friendship was begun. 

When Fitzgerald moved to the USA in 1975 and founded Neoteric Hovercraft, Inc., John Talmage financed the first hovercraft manufactured by the company: the original Neova 2, constructed of wood and fiberglass. Here, the Neova 2 is parked outside the Talmage hangar at their Riverhead Farm just after its arrival from Neoteric in Terre Haute, Indiana ...

This first hovercraft was used to develop the Neova 2 hovercraft kit and to garner publicity. Popular Mechanics soon published a feature story about the Neova 2, which immediately kicked off sales of Neova 2 kits for Neoteric. And, as they say, the rest is history.

#TBT: World’s First Hovercraft Race

For #ThrowbackThursday, let’s go back to March 14, 1964 when Chris Fitzgerald, Neoteric’s future founder and president, participated in the World’s First Hovercraft Race in Canberra, Australia ...

The Age Newspaper, 14 March 1964: This hovercraft will take part in the world’s first hovercraft race over Lake Burley Griffin today. In the cockpit, Edward Thomas;
from left, Ron Davies, Christopher Fitzgerald and Robert Wilson.

The race was a remarkable success. It drew more than 30,000 spectators and received extensive media coverage. London’s Flight International magazine reported: "March 14, 1964, may become a famous date in ACV history, for on that day, at Canberra, the world's first competitive hovercraft trials took place. An analogy may be drawn between the Canberra trials of 1964 and the Rheims air meeting of 1909: both mark the beginning of competitive development in their respective fields.”

Watch a video filmed during the race ...



In a 2001 article, journalist Eric Shackle related Neoteric’s evolution since the World’s First Hovercraft Race  ...

Melbourne Entrant’s Success Story

One of the entrants in the World's First Hovercraft Race, Australian Air Cushion Vehicle Development, vigorously pursued its interest in hovercraft, transferred to the US, and is now one of the world's leading manufacturers of the craft: Neoteric Hovercraft, Inc.

In 1964, the company competed in the first world hovercraft race. As experience mounted, the Rotary International Foundation awarded AACVD's president, Chris Fitzgerald, a scholarship for a world hovercraft study tour which resulted in contact with virtually every hovercraft project in existence.

Innovations continued and, by 1973, a prototype hovercraft, the Neova, was completed and AACVD formed a new company, Neoteric Engineering Affiliates Pty. Ltd., which created staggering world interest when it introduced the Neova at a press demonstration in July, 1974 in Melbourne, Australia. All were anticipating a promising future for this curious new flying machine.

Hoping to sell their technology to the burgeoning recreational vehicle market in the United States, the engineering team made what was intended to be a temporary move to the USA in 1975. After a short time, however, they discovered that there was a virgin market for the manufacturing of hovercraft and began reorienting their company's focus in that direction. This spurred the spin-off company, Neoteric Hovercraft, Inc.

Today, Neoteric boasts a clientele that spans 50 countries and includes Disney World, local and national [and international] rescue departments, dive teams, gold mines, environmental and fishery research departments at universities, oil-spill clean-up, the US Army Corps of Engineers and, of course, numerous people who enjoy exploring remote areas that cannot be reached by any other means.

They've come a long way since taking part in that historic 1964 race on Lake Burley Griffin!

#TBT: Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft in action at #FDIC

Firefighters and first responders: Kick off this #ThrowbackThursday with a video of a Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft in action at last April’s Fire Department Instructors Conference. Watch how the only hovercraft with reverse thrust for braking and backing up can be critical in rescue operations. First responders, this lets you easily reach the victim without having to submerge yourself in water, ice, snow, mud, etc. …

On to the future ... Mark your calendars now so you can get off to a flying start at FDIC 2019. Come to Neoteric Demo Booth 19403 to experience a rescue hovercraft flight every half hour. This is your chance to see why your fellow #firefighters and first responders in more than 50 nations rely on Neoteric hovercraft to keep them safe and take them where no other apparatus can go.

This is an ideal opportunity for you to see firsthand why Neoteric hovercraft are recognized worldwide as the fastest, safest, easiest way to rescue water, ice, swift water, mud and flood victims. Don't miss out!

#TBT: Bubba’s Hover: “The coolest thing to ever hit the golf course!”

On this #ThrowbackThursday, let’s hover back to Bubba. In 2013, golf pro Bubba Watson chose Neoteric to design and create the world’s first hovercraft golf cart. The viral video, Bubba’s Hover, was an immediate internet sensation - in only two weeks it had nearly 8 million views on YouTube alone - and it had also become a worldwide media phenomenon.

Enjoy a #TBT review of the Neoteric creation the media dubbed "the coolest thing to ever hit the golf course" ...

#TBT: #Firefighters & #FirstResponders – Don’t miss this!

For #ThrowbackThursday, let’s fly back a year to the Neoteric Hovercraft booth at #FDIC 2017 …

Wait a minute – nothing was flying last year. That hovercraft is just … sitting there. That’s one reason it's called 'throwback' - it's a thing of the past.

Yes, that no-fly zone is history. This year you can get off to a flying start at #FDIC2018! All you have to do is visit Neoteric at outdoor booth #19203 to see a rescue hovercraft in action! This is your chance to find out first-hand why your fellow first responders in 50+ nations rely on Neoteric hovercraft – proven to be the safest, fastest vehicle for water, ice, mud, flood and swift water rescues.

And plan to hang out after the flight to board a hovercraft and check it out hands-on. This is a great opportunity for videos and pics!

(We can’t promise that the hovercraft flight you attend will take place over water, mud or ice
… but with this year’s weather, who knows?)

Put this on your priority list and don’t miss the chance to see for yourself how a hovercraft keeps you above the danger – not in it. Then come to Neoteric’s booth #19203 in the outdoor demo lot on South Street during FDIC 2018, April 26-28 In Indianapolis!

To get your FDIC 2018 hovercraft flight schedule ...

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#TBT: The Neoteric Hoverlifter – “First of its kind in the world”

It’s #ThrowbackThursday and time for something big!

In 1991, as one of its many special projects, Neoteric custom designed a 5,000 lb. Hoverlifter for placing sand atop a Massachusetts cranberry farm, a grower with #OceanSpray. The Hoverlifter introduced an entirely new hovercraft construction concept utilizing aluminum tubing and fabric.

Watch the Hoverlifter on the news …

A Hoverlifter with an entirely different design and composition was also developed for #Alcoa Aluminum to move half-ton units around on the roof of a 140-acre factory. 

From Hoverlifters, to Hovering Dragons for #Disney World, to #Bubba'sHover, Neoteric has a long history of 'First of its kind in the world' special projects in hovercraft design. Read more ... 

#TBT: Neoteric Hovercraft featured on WealthTV's 'Boys Toys'

#ThrowbackThursday flies you back to 2012, when WealthTV (now known as AWE - A Wealth of Entertainment) featured Neoteric Hovercraft on its popular show Boys Toys, hosted by Emmy-nominated Jenn Barlow. 

The episode was titled "Hoosier Daddy" and the show's promo was "Talk about a rush! This one-of-a-kind amphibious vehicle will have you re-evaluating your definition of the word 'cool'."

Watch the show and see Jenn Barlow learn hands-on how to "get over the hump and fly this bad boy!"

#TBT: Documentary features Neoteric hovercraft water rescue

For #ThrowbackThursday, read what first responders said after participating in a Neoteric HoverTrek™ water rescue filmed by a documentary crew back in 2009 …

Mecosta County Sheriff's Department's Neoteric Hovercraft Rescue Team in action.

“The Neoteric craft is a very unique design. It’s able to hover in one spot, turn on a dime, move slowly in between houses (in flood rescue operations), fly backwards - this craft does things that I’ve never seen another hovercraft do.”

“I’m impressed that Neoteric hovercraft are used all over the world and I was impressed with the owner of the company, Chris, and his knowledge and many years of experience … [these are] hovercraft that have years and years of insight and testing behind them.”

“When you’re going into a situation to save someone’s life, it often means that you’re going to put yourself in danger as well. I am not going to put myself or my team or the victims at risk by going into a situation that we are not equipped for … after spending a day with Chris, I realized this guy really, really knows what he’s talking about, has put a lot of thought and care into his work and is very serious about the task at hand - to create hovercraft that are designed to go where boats and helicopters can’t go.”

“You’ve got an airboat, you’ve got a hovercraft, and you’ve got a traditional boat … I just couldn’t come up with any other vehicle that could match what a hovercraft can do. Well, not “a” hovercraft - THIS hovercraft. Caterpillar makes the best equipment. Peterbilt makes the best truck. Neoteric makes the best hovercraft.”

Now, back to the present day ...

#IceRescue, #WaterRescue, #MudRescue, #FireRescue organizations:

In two weeks, you can start saving lives safely – and affordably – 

HERE’S HOW …

#TBT VIDEO: Neoteric Hovercraft featured on Indiana Outdoor Adventures

For #ThrowbackThursday let’s go back four years and watch one of the most informative videos about hovercraft you’ll ever see!

Indiana Outdoor Adventures, broadcast to 44+ million U.S. households, devoted an entire episode to Neoteric Hovercraft. See hovercraft in action, watch them being built, and hear Neoteric Founder/President Chris Fitzgerald discuss how hovercraft came to be, how they work, their capabilities, why they’re so safe, the background story of Bubba’s Hover … and lots more …

Discover more about Neoteric Hovercraft ...

#TBT: Neoteric Hovercraft in 1980s TV commercials

For #ThrowbackThursday, let's hover back to the early 1980s, when Neoteric's new LeMere and Neova II hovercraft gained international fame in television commercials. They were featured in TV ads for Canada's Labatt's Beer, Germany's Lord Extra Cigarettes and Brazil's Hollywood Cigarettes.

Watch the Labatt's Beer commercial, filmed on Lake Isabella in California. When commonplace boats are too ordinary for the job, it's Neoteric to the rescue! ... 

#TBT: The first "Neoteric" hovercraft

To say that Neoteric Founder/President Chris Fitzgerald has devoted his life to hovercraft is no exaggeration. He began designing award-winning hovercraft in his early teens and quickly attracted the interest of the Aeronautical Research Laboratories in Melbourne, Australia, who hired him as a technical assistant.

Here’s an article the Melbourne Sun published about Fitzgerald in the early 1960s …

YOUNG AUSTRALIAN BUILDS HOVERCRAFT

A young Australian, Christopher Fitzgerald, is anxiously awaiting the results of this year’s Science Talent Search.

Christopher’s main interest in life lies with hovercraft, and last year he won £10 in the same competition for the design of a wind tunnel for use in the design of these oddly shaped means of transport. He is hoping for even greater success this time.

Christopher Fitzgerald with his experimental hovercraft.

Christopher has recently left school and has found himself a job at the Aeronautical Research Laboratories in Melbourne. There he is doing the thing he most wants to do - working with hovercraft.

“Three years ago,” he said, “I was reading an article in a magazine about one of these strange crafts. At that time little was known about them. I became very interested and later built my first one, which was three feet by three feet, and constructed from balsa wood. It weighed a total of 6 lb. including the engine, which was a 3.5 c.c. model aeroplane one.

“It could carry a payload of 28 lb. but the weight was hard to distribute. To a degree I overcame this problem by building four little boxes on each of the corners of the hovercraft and these were filled with weights until it balanced from its point of gravity, which in my case was the prop on the engine.”

Carry More

“In comparison with a model plane with the same size engine, it was found that the plane could carry only 3 lb., but the hovercraft could take 28 lb.

“Studying further, I found that a wind tunnel would be a great asset to the construction and designing of hovercraft, so I set about to build one. The first attempt was made out of wood and sheet metal.

“It was 15 feet long and had a vacuum cleaner engine, but this did not satisfy my needs. I then built another which was all metal and 18 feet long with a 5 phase electric motor with an air speed of 50 m.p.h.

“With this tunnel I won my £10 at the Science Talent Search but even so, it still does not do all I want it to do. I plan now to lengthen it and install a 28 h.p. truck engine with an estimated airspeed of 100 m.p.h.”

Christopher’s next hovercraft was constructed of aluminum and weighed 10 lb., being powered by a bigger engine than the first. He has made a number of attempts to use the air jets as a means of propulsion, but to date, none has been successful.

On Display

“Early last year when the Avalon pageant was announced, The Ultra Light Aircraft Association, of which I am a member, asked me to display my hovercraft on their stand.”

Since then, Christopher has taken his interest further by started a Hovercraft Research Association in Australia.

“We intend to develop hovercraft as a means of transport,” he said. “The reasons for such hopes are that we believe these craft to be the potential machine to revolutionise transport.

“A full-scale research plan has been started for the eventual building of a prototype machine.”

Because his interest in the air is not entirely limited to hovercraft, Christopher is also keen to learn to fly, and recently he and a friend bought a Puss Moth with money they earned from week-end clearing jobs. His pilot’s license is the next step.

#TBT Neoteric Hovercraft video from 1991

For #ThrowbackThursday, enjoy a promotional video from 1991 featuring Neoteric's classic Questrek hovercraft ...

Watch more Neoteric Hovercraft videos ...