Freiwillige Feuerwehr Marklkofen Visits Neoteric Hovercraft to Inspect, Train, and Pick Up Their New Rescue Hovercraft On February 7, 2026, Neoteric Hovercraft was honored to welcome a delegation from Freiwillige Feuerwehr Marklkofen (Volunteer Fire Department Marklkofen) in Bavaria, Germany, for a very special visit. Their team came to Terre Haute, Indiana to inspect, test, and take delivery of their new Model 5852 Deluxe Fully Assembled Rescue Hovercraft, following their original contact with Neoteric regarding the purchase in January 2025. Neoteric’s own company history notes that this 6-passenger deluxe rescue craft was built for the Marklkofen volunteer fire department and scheduled for shipment in March 2026. The visiting group included Klaus Wanninger, Director of Purchasing; Thomas Wanninger, who served as the main contact person and interpreter; representatives connected with Gemeinde Marklkofen, a firefighter and the fire department; and Josef Huber, the department’s mechanic and key technical contact. Unfortunately, Fire Chief Thomas Heindl was unable to join the trip because of his health condition. The day was packed with hands-on activity. After arriving at Neoteric Hovercraft, the Marklkofen team inspected their new rescue craft, reviewed its features, and took part in a live demonstration and training session. The Model 5852 is one of Neoteric’s 6-passenger rescue hovercraft platforms, designed for missions where responders may need to travel over water, mud, ice, marsh, or flooded terrain that conventional boats or vehicles cannot easily reach. Neoteric also highlights that rescue customers can receive certified hovercraft pilot training at its Terre Haute facility. A highlight of the visit was a trip to the Wabash River, where everyone had an opportunity to ride in the hovercraft and complete a quick training session on the water. Local coverage from WTWO/WAWV, republished by WBOW, reported that German firefighters were in Terre Haute on February 7 to test their new hovercraft before it heads to Germany. That report specifically identified Thomas Wanninger as one of the members of the visiting fire department team.

The same day, the group also visited the Terre Haute Fire Department, including its Ohio Street location, giving the German delegation a chance to connect with local firefighters and learn more about emergency-response operations in Terre Haute. The visit added another meaningful dimension to the trip by creating an exchange between first responders from Germany and Indiana. During the Wabash River activities, WTWO conducted interviews with members of the visiting group as well as those involved from Neoteric Hovercraft. The television coverage helped highlight not only the international reach of Neoteric’s rescue craft, but also the practical value of hovercraft for fire, rescue, and emergency service operations in challenging environments. A related social media post from WTWO described the hovercraft seen on the Wabash River and noted that its next destination would be a river in Germany after the visiting German firefighters tested it in Terre Haute. Training did not stop after the river run. An intensive session on service and maintenance continued late into Saturday evening, until around 8:00 p.m. This technical exchange was especially valuable for Josef Huber, who plays a central mechanical role for the department. He spent time sharing information with Chris Fitzgerald, owner of Neoteric Hovercraft, to help ensure the team would be well prepared to maintain and operate the craft once it arrived in Germany.

In between the day’s activities, the group also enjoyed lunch together at Real Hacienda, giving everyone a chance to relax and enjoy some Indiana hospitality before continuing with training and inspection. By the end of the visit, the hovercraft was prepared for shipment to Bavaria, Germany, and the trip had become much more than a pickup; it was a full day of inspection, testing, instruction, technical exchange, and international friendship. Neoteric Hovercraft was delighted to host the team from Freiwillige Feuerwehr Marklkofen and wishes them great success with their new rescue hovercraft in service. We hope the Model 5852 will serve their department well for many years in protecting their community. Please see the attached video links for the WTWO interview coverage and scenes from the visit, training, and hovercraft demonstration. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2tIhxll7oQ&list=PLBEaNKaDfgiN543nTblgq3rtjjWASBJLq

Sugar Creek Cruise — Hoverclub of America (Sept 27, 2025) By Neoteric Hovercraft On September 27, 2025, hovercraft enthusiasts gathered at Reeder Park in Montezuma, Indiana for the long-awaited Sugar Creek Cruise hosted by the Hoverclub of America. The day was a perfect blend of nostalgic cruising through covered-bridge country, technical camaraderie, and hands-on demonstrations of lightweight rescue and recreational hovercraft. Neoteric was proud to attend and hovering our Hovertrek™ Inline Seat 4 Passenger Rescue Model and to demonstrate why Neoteric craft remain a favorite of rescue teams and recreational pilots worldwide. Founded originally in 1960 and registried in 1976, Neoteric is the original light hovercraft manufacturer and our patented reverse-thrust system gives unmatched maneuverability for precision work such as pond spraying, rescue access, and tight waterway operations. Sugar Creek’s winding waterway, shallow shoals, and scenic banks make it a perfect venue to show the versatility of hovercraft. The craft’s soft surface footprint and ability to transition from water to land without damage make them ideal for conservation-sensitive shoots, access to isolated banks, and practical tasks like precision spraying or shoreline inspections. Six hovercraft made it all the way upstream to Turkey Run State Park about 45 miles round trip, two craft experienced mechanical difficulties on the return trip but both were successfully retrieved. Midday cruise through the covered-bridge stretch, pilots swapped tips on skirt care, throttle setups, and accessories. Several craft performed low-speed precision maneuvers to demonstrate spray and rescue capability. In the afternoon, the pilots and guests reviewed the day’s footage and discussed upcoming events in the Midwest hovercraft calendar. Below are the individuals who attend at Sugar Creek: • Chris Fitzgerald-Founder / Chief Executive Officer / Neoteric. Neoteric pilots and staff participated in demos • Jason Kuehn — Founder & President, Hoverstream LLC (long-time industry figure and Hoverclub of America board involvement). Hoverstream attended/exhibited and Jason was visible in event postings and industry coverage. • Marquis Songer — active hovercraft community member; listed as Machine Tool Technology Program Chair / educator, Indiana Ivy Tech. Marquis is also a long-time hovercraft enthusiast and contributor to club activities. • JianJun Huang —Attend as an engineer at Neoteric Hovercraft. • Terry Chapman • Larry Weirich • Gary and Terry Jensen • Dan Heidel Thanks to the Hoverclub of America and everyone who made the Sugar Creek Cruise a spirited and enjoyable event. If you attended and would like your photos or helmet-cam clips included in the Neoteric video, please email them to team@neoterichovercraft.com with the subject line “Sugar Creek Cruise – Media”. We’ll credit contributors and ask for permission before naming people in captions.

Neoteric Hovercraft welcomes Wabash River Heritage Corridor Commission

Celebrating Heritage and Innovation: WRHCC Visits Neoteric Hovercraft

On May 14, 2025, Neoteric Hovercraft welcomed 20 members of the Wabash River Heritage Corridor Commission (WRHCC) to our Terre Haute facility as part of their Heritage quarterly meeting activities. The visit offered a unique blend of history, environmental stewardship, and cutting-edge innovation—highlighting the shared significance of the Wabash River to both our company’s past and the region’s future.

A Full Day Rooted in Community

The day began with a morning wetland walk at Dewey Point, followed by a mid-morning tour of Neoteric’s factory at 1649 Tippecanoe St., where WRHCC members—including President Brendan Kearns, Vice President Arin Shaver, and Secretary Dale Brier—received an up-close look at how hovercraft are designed, assembled, and tested.

As part of the tour, Chris Fitzgerald delivered an informative heritage presentation that connected the evolution of hovercraft technology with the ecological and cultural history of the Wabash corridor.

Innovation Inspired by the River

In his presentation, Fitzgerald spoke to the origins of the hovercraft, his early interest in aviation dating back to 1959, and his motivation for establishing Neoteric in Terre Haute—a choice driven by the proximity of the Wabash River and its potential for hovercraft application, pilot training and testing.

He shared anecdotes about early hovercraft testing, including a significant journey on July 29, 2015, launching from Shawnee town, Illinois, 10 miles south of the confluence of the Wabash and Ohio rivers, and continuing to Fort Recovery, Ohio on the 2^nd of August at 5pm. These moments underscored how essential the river has been to our development, testing, and community engagement said Fitzgerald.

Behind the Scenes: How Hovercraft Are Made

Visitors were treated to a rare inside look at Neoteric’s manufacturing process:

• Lightweight structural fabrication with aluminum, plastics, and fiberglass
• Skirt system testing
• Fiberglass Fabrication and part removal demonstrations
• Briggs & Stratton and aircraft engine setup and assembly

In our best year over 55 hovercraft were built, exported to 55 countries, and our largest team of 22 employees which varies with orders. Neoteric stands as a global leader in light hovercraft technology. Our largest customer to date has been in Russia, but our roots remain deeply planted along the Wabash.

Fitzgerald Reviews the manufacturing process

Looking Ahead: The Future of Hovercraft and the Wabash

During the tour, guests learned of our plans for a new, expanded facility, which will include the U.S. Hovercraft Museum—a future destination on the Wabash that aims to educate and inspire. As Chris noted, the river isn’t just part of our history—it’s central to our future.

Hovercraft have the potential to become an iconic part of eco-tourism and historic exploration on the Wabash, supporting both recreation and conservation efforts along the corridor.

WRHCC Visit Neoteric

A Thank You to the WRHCC

We are pleased to have hosted the WRHCC and thank them for their ongoing work to preserve, protect, and promote the heritage of Indiana’s most storied river. This visit reaffirmed the mutual value in uniting environmental preservation, cultural history, and technological innovation.

  

Neoteric visits Hulman Links golf course with Youtuber Josh Mayers to create the video below:

https://youtu.be/QhsW8QDr6dc