Neoteric Hovercraft, Inc. Celebrates 50 Years
in Terre Haute During Historic Hovercraft Homecoming
August 6–9, 2026 | Terre Haute, Indiana
August 6–9,
2026, was a very special weekend for Neoteric Hovercraft as we celebrated 50
years of Neoteric in Terre Haute alongside the 50th Anniversary of the
Hoverclub of America.
The four-day
Hovercraft Homecoming brought approximately 80 visitors to the Neoteric
facility, along with hovercraft enthusiasts, pilots, builders, families and
longtime friends from across the country and internationally.
For Neoteric,
the celebration was especially meaningful because Terre Haute has been our home
for five decades.
(Pictured below: Nate Rader, Chris Fitzgerald(President),
Brandon Sackbun (Terre Haute, Indiana Mayor), Peggy Sun)
The 50th
Anniversary celebration officially began Friday at noon with an opening
ceremony at Fairbanks Park. Mayor Brandon Sakbun of Terre Haute joins
Chris Fitzgerald and members of the hovercraft community during the opening
ceremony celebrating 50 years of Neoteric Hovercraft and the Hoverclub of
America.
Among the
special guests attending the ceremony was Brandon Sakbun, Mayor of the City of
Terre Haute, who joined the hovercraft community in celebrating this historic
milestone.
Also attending
was Eric Hunt, federal agent representative for the State of Indiana, along
with members of the Hoverclub of America, hovercraft enthusiasts, community
representatives and other special guests.
Mayor Sakbun's
participation was especially meaningful as Terre Haute has been the home of
Neoteric Hovercraft for approximately 50 years and played an important role in
the early history of the Hoverclub of America.
One of the
highlights of the weekend was welcoming approximately 80 visitors to the
Neoteric Hovercraft facility.
Guests had the
opportunity to tour our facility, see Neoteric hovercraft up close, learn about
our manufacturing process and hear stories about the company's five decades of
hovercraft development.
For many
visitors, returning to Neoteric was a special experience. Some had been part of
the hovercraft community for decades, while others were seeing the Neoteric
facility for the first time.
Our team was
proud to open the doors and share our workplace, our history and our passion
for hovercraft with everyone who attended.
James C.
Wallace II, Neoteric long-term associate and educator extraordinaire was a
workshop presenter at Hover Rally. “Foam
Plates, Motors, and Props, Oh My!”, A Kid’s Learning Activity, introducing the
next generation to hovercraft building. A
special thanks to James for working diligently to build our next generation of
hover enthusiasts!
Hovercraft
Return to the Wabash River
8th
Aug 2026 morning, hovercraft operated from Fairbanks Park on the Wabash River
to Clinton Indiana, bringing the sights and sounds of hovercraft back to the
same area that played such an important role in the early history of the
Hoverclub of America.
The 50th
Anniversary Hoverally included hovercraft operations, river cruises,
demonstrations, technical presentations, historical presentations, social
activities and opportunities for members to reconnect.
Seeing so many
hovercraft operating together on the Wabash River made the 50th Anniversary
especially memorable.
Local and
Statewide Media Cover the Celebration
The historic
gathering also attracted significant media attention.
WTHI-TV News 10
visited and covered the 50th Anniversary Hoverally at Fairbanks Park. The
station highlighted the history of the Hoverclub of America and the large
gathering of hovercraft enthusiasts in Terre Haute.
WTWO-TV also
visited the event and covered the weekend's activities.
The celebration
attracted attention beyond Terre Haute as well. An Indianapolis PBS television
crew traveled to Terre Haute to document the 50th Anniversary celebration and
the history of Neoteric Hovercraft and the Hoverclub of America.
Local Tribune-Star
newspaper and community media also followed the event, helping share Terre
Haute's unique connection to hovercraft with a wider audience.
The media
coverage was a wonderful recognition of the importance of the anniversary—not
only for Neoteric and the Hoverclub, but also for the history of Terre Haute.
Honoring
Chris Fitzgerald
During the
celebration, Mayor Sakbun recognized Chris Fitzgerald, founder of Neoteric
Hovercraft, with an official City of Terre Haute proclamation. The proclamation
honored Chris for his vision, ingenuity, leadership and lasting contributions
to hovercraft technology and the Terre Haute community.
A particularly
meaningful part of the celebration was recognizing Chris Fitzgerald, founder of
Neoteric Hovercraft and an important figure in the early history of the
Hoverclub of America.
Mayor Sakbun's
office recognized Chris Fitzgerald, founder of Neoteric Hovercraft, with an
official City of Terre Haute proclamation. The proclamation honored Chris for
his vision, ingenuity, leadership and lasting contributions to hovercraft
technology and the Terre Haute community.
The City
officially proclaimed 8th Aug 2026 as “Chris Fitzgerald Day”
in recognition of his remarkable achievements and five decades of contributions
to the hovercraft industry and Terre Haute.
The August 6–9
Homecoming was more than a celebration of hovercraft.
It was a
reunion of people who have shared a passion for hovercraft for generations.
Longtime
members returned to Terre Haute to reconnect with old friends. New enthusiasts
had the opportunity to meet experienced pilots and builders. Families enjoyed
watching hovercraft operate on the river, while visitors learned more about the
technology and the people behind it.
Neoteric
Hovercraft would like to thank everyone who traveled to Terre Haute and helped
make the August 6–9 celebration such a memorable event.
We especially
thank the Hoverclub of America, its members, our customers, friends,
families, the City of Terre Haute, Eric Hunt and the government and community
representatives, as well as WTHI-TV, WTWO-TV, Indianapolis PBS and the local
newspaper and media organizations that helped share this historic weekend.
