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 ...

VIDEO: Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft Training in Viet Nam

As Hovercraft Training Centers’ Senior Instructor, Neoteric President Chris Fitzgerald is in Hanoi, Viet Nam this week conducting flight and maintenance training for first responders from Viet Nam’s National Department of Rescue and Relief, as well as personnel from Tuyet NGA Co. Ltd.

Two Neoteric Rescue hovercraft were purchased by Tuyet NGA, a security and rescue equipment supplier, which will be used by the National Emergency Response Team – a great asset in a country often beset by monsoons and floods.

Watch a video of Fitzgerald demonstrating the unusual maneuverability the reverse thrust system gives to all Neoteric hovercraft as flight training begins on Suoi Hai Lake at the Emergency Response Training Facility near Hanoi …

Learn more about Hovercraft Training Centers …

Pakistan Air Force Rescue Hovercraft

Neoteric has manufactured two rescue hovercraft for the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington DC. The 4-passenger craft are to be used by the Pakistan Air Force for rescue operations. Since 1998, Pakistan and surrounding nations have relied heavily on the PAF for tsunami, cyclone, earthquake and flood rescue and relief operations.

The Neoteric Hovertrek™ is in increasing use by the military, both in the U.S. and in other nations. In 2006, the U.S. Air Force used one of the two Neoteric craft owned by Hill Air Force base to rescue a downed F-16 pilot who crashed on the Great Salt Lake mudflats, where no other rescue vehicle could travel.

U.S. Air Force personnel undergo pilot training at Hovercraft Training Centers. 

Below are a few photos of the two Pakistan Air Force hovercraft during their manufacturing process at Neoteric ...

Body Manufacture: The mold is sprayed with resin, then fiberglass mat is hand-laid in order to ensure a hovercraft body with a high-quality surface.

Final Assembly: The thrust ducts are fitted and each craft goes through the first stage of quality assurance process.

Rescue Accessories: A rear emergency beacon is installed to the cowl of each hovercraft.

Performance Testing: Both hovercraft undergo extensive performance testing on the Wabash River.

Read more about the U.S. Air Force Neoteric hovercraft ...

Neoteric President Evaluates the U.S. Navy LCAC Training Program

Neoteric President Chris Fitzgerald was invited this month to Assault Craft Unit 4 in Virginia Beach to review the U.S. Navy’s training protocol for LCAC (Landing Craft, Air Cushion) crews. 39 of the Navy’s fleet of 72 LCACs are based at Virginia Beach; the remainder are based in California.

Each LCAC crew consists of a craftmaster (pilot), a navigator, an engineer, a deck engineer and a loadmaster. All are trained using a preliminary simulator, then a Full-Motion Flight Simulator, followed by final training in actual LCACs – a costly protocol with low retention rates. Trainees spend two months of daily 4-hour intervals on the simulators before they ever get behind the controls of an actual LCAC.

Fitzgerald gives the preliminary simulator’s bow thruster controls a final check

before he boards the Full-Motion Simulator.

Craftmaster trainer Andy Sutter and Chris Fitzgerald prepare to board a Full-Motion Simulator

for a flight session – an integral part of LCAC training, but also one where many trainees

are excluded from the program.

In contrast, military aircraft pilots are first trained in light aircraft, then in heavy aircraft. As is the case with aircraft, the operating principles of light hovercraft are the same as those of heavy hovercraft. Fitzgerald, who is also founder of Hovercraft Training Centers LLC, has trained hovercraft pilots for decades, and he believes the aircraft protocol can be applied to LCAC training. His trip to Virginia Beach – which included a chance to pilot an LCAC on the Atlantic Ocean without any training – verified his theory.

Fitzgerald and Sutter ready to board U.S. Navy LCAC 50 for a proficiency flight,

which all LCAC crews undergo on a regular basis in order to hone their skills.

Prior to his LCAC flight in Virginia Beach, the largest hovercraft Fitzgerald had ever flown was a 20-passenger craft. After piloting the 100-ton $22 million LCAC, he observed, “I found it relatively easy, and that was with no advance instruction. I had no trouble getting over the hump, operating in a straight line, turning, modulating speed, stopping. I attribute that to my experience piloting smaller light hovercraft; it was pretty much second nature.”

In piloting the LCAC on the Atlantic Ocean, Fitzgerald’s experience piloting light hovercraft
easily transferred to the heavy military hovercraft. 

Hovercraft Training Centers is working with officials to develop a proposal for the U.S. Navy to consider utilizing  HTC to provide initial LCAC crew training. Not only would this expedite the process and lower costs, it would also improve the current trainee dropout rate because light hovercraft could be used to attract and prequalify suitable candidates.

Plans are underway for U.S. Navy craftmaster trainer Andy Sutter to come to Hovercraft Training Centers’ headquarters in Terre Haute, Indiana to undergo a 12-hour StandardTraining course, after which he will consult with HTC to determine the value of incorporating preliminary light hovercraft training into the Navy’s current LCAC program.

This method could also be readily applied to training crews for the SSC (Ship-to-Shore Connector), the new hovercraft intended to replace the Navy’s fleet of aging LCACs. 

See the complete photo gallery of Fitzgerald’s LCAC experience

Gladstone Public Safety Department trains in new Neoteric rescue hovercraft

Residents of, and visitors to, the Gladstone, Michigan area can now enjoy Lake Michigan much more safely. First responders from the Gladstone Public Safety Department and Delta County Search and Rescue have completed their pilot training at Hovercraft Training Centers and taken possession of Gladstone’s specially equipped Neoteric rescue hovercraft.

First responders from the Gladstone Public Safety receive their Class 3 Standard hovercraft pilot certification. From left: Gladstone Public Safety Officer Sgt. Scott Larson; Delta County Search & Rescue responder Mike Sands; Gladstone Public Safety Director Paul Geyer; Hovercraft Training Centers instructors Chris Fitzgerald and Steve Stafford.

The Gladstone Public Safety Department, located on Lake Michigan’s Little Bay de Noc in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, provides both police and fire protection to the city of Gladstone. It also provides mutual aid to four other law enforcement agencies and twelve other fire departments in the area.

Delta County Search and Rescue in Escanaba, Michigan is an all-volunteer team serving Delta County and surrounding areas. Among other responsibilities, the agency performs ice and swift water rescues on 1,777 square miles of land and inland waterways and on more than 200 miles of Lake Michigan.

Drowning has become a too-frequent tragedy in the areas serviced by these agencies, raising concern about slow response times and reliance on low-tech equipment such as ladders and tires to reach victims. The initial discussions about equipment upgrades began nearly 20 years ago after a drowning during the Upper Peninsula Sled Dog Association’s UP 200 race, a major Michigan event. A man tried to rescue his dog after it fell through the ice, but they both drowned in spite of rescue attempts using ropes and ladders. The rescuers almost lost their lives as well.

The decision to purchase a Neoteric hovercraft was made because the department wanted “something that would be safer for us and that would be quicker at the same time,” explains Public Safety Officer Sgt. Scott Larson.

Gladstone’s new Neoteric rescue hovercraft undergoes performance testing on the Wabash River.

All three Officers emphasized how professional training is absolutely essential for every hovercraft owner, particularly those involved in rescue operations. They were also impressed with the unusual maneuverability of the Neoteric hovercraft.

At the conclusion of their training, Gladstone Public Safety Director Paul Geyer observed, “The maneuverability is incredible – but it takes a fine touch to get that maneuverability. I struggled with trying to drive like it was a four-wheeler, when you turn where you want to go. With this hovercraft, you hardly turn at all … when Chris relates it to a helicopter, I can see it. And I expected it to be louder than it is.”

Paul Geyer learns to fly the department’s new hovercraft on the Wabash River, while instructor Chris Fitzgerald provides constant assistance and supervision.

Both work and recreation in the Gladstone area have now risen to a new level of safety. Their new hovercraft will be a valuable year-round asset in helping Gladstone Public Safety prevent injuries and fatalities on and near Lake Michigan.

See a photo gallery of Gladstone’s hovercraft pilot training sessions.

Learn more about Neoteric rescue hovercraft.  

Swedish entrepreneurs complete hovercraft pilot training

Fredrik Hedberg and Eric Groenlund, two young entrepreneurs from Vastervik, Sweden, recently traveled to the USA to undergo hovercraft pilot and maintenance training at Hovercraft Training Centers' headquarters in Terre Haute, Indiana.  Neoteric is the exclusive provider of the hovercraft employed by Hovercraft Training Centers.

With the Neoteric hovercraft's 100% buoyancy, Eric Groenlund and instructor Chris Fitzgerald stay

comfortably afloat during flight training on the Wabash River while Eric reviews the craft's controls

and its behavior with the engine shut down.

Hedberg and Groenlund’s company manufactures specialty trailers, both for the private sector and for the military. There is a growing need for hovercraft in Sweden, which has a large number of small coastal islands where the population doesn’t have direct access to rescue vehicles other than a helicopter, which is costly and often unavailable.

After researching hovercraft manufacturers they decided that the Neoteric Hovertrek, with its light weight and unique reverse thrust system, was ideal for operation in Sweden so they decided their first step would be to enroll in the pilot training program. 

Eric said, “We want to master them and know everything about it. The training sounded for us like a natural first step; we wouldn’t even go near it without the training. It’s like selling a helicopter to someone, thinking it’s a cool thing to have, but one needs to know how it works too! “.

Fredrik Hedberg (left) and Eric Groenlund (right) receive their
Class 3 Standard hovercraft pilot certification from instructor Chris Fitzgerald.

See a complete photo gallery of the Hedberg / Groenlund pilot training session.

 

Recreational Hovercraft Pilot Training: Michael Meissner

Michael Meissner of Glendive, Montana USA recently earned his Class 3 Standard hovercraft pilot certification at Hovercraft Training Centers’ headquarters. After purchasing a used Neoteric hovercraft from a previous owner, he learned to operate it on his own but, once he began the training course, he says he quickly realized the necessity of proper training – especially the classroom portion of the course.

“I’ve always been a technical person and could not go anywhere without the proper theoretical background training,” he says.

Michael Meissner (right) and instructor Chris Fitzgerald are ready for takeoff
on the Wabash River as Michael's flight training begins.

With a long career as an aviation electronics technician in the U.S. Navy and as an analyst for a systems engineering firm affiliated with Navy and Marine Corps aircraft programs, Michael is no stranger to flight … but flying eight inches above the ground is a new experience for him.

“Hovercraft are the ideal recreational watercraft, especially for fishing and nature cruising,” Michael says. He lives near Yellowstone National Park, an area with plentiful rivers and lakes – “the perfect location for hovercraft.” Glendive is located on the Yellowstone River near the North Dakota border, and is known as the Paddlefish and Yellowstone Caviar Capital of the World, attracting more than 3,000 anglers every year.

Michael was surprised to learn that no one in his area owns a hovercraft; he’s proud to be the first and hopes to spread the ‘hover spirit’ in his community. 

Michael Meissner (right) receives his Class 3 Standard hovercraft pilot certification from instructor Chris Fitzgerald (left).

 

See the photo gallery of Michael’s hands-on hovercraft pilot training …

Winous Point Marsh Conservancy Pilot Training

Opie Rohrer (left) and Jeff Miller (right) of Winous Point Marsh Conservancy,

receive their Class III Hovercraft Pilot Certificates from instructor Chris Fitzgerald.

The Winous Point Marsh Conservancy preserves a 5,500-acre marsh and maintains a wildlife habitat on the shores of Lake Erie’s Sandusky Bay in Point Clinton, Ohio USA. The Winous Point Shooting Club, a part of the Conservancy, is the oldest duck hunting club in North America, founded in 1856.

At times, weather can make the marsh difficult to reach. Strong winds can blow the water out of the access bay, which then becomes mud and soft sand and, in winter, thin ice can be a problem. The punt boats and Louisiana pero boats normally used by the club cannot operate in these conditions.

A club member who has experience in aviation recommended that the club purchase a hovercraft because it could easily travel over mud, sand and thin ice. The new Winous Point Neoteric HoverTrek™ will be used to ferry hunters to suitable hunting spots.

Because Opie and Jeff have experience building the club’s punt boats, they purchased a Neoteric partially assembled hovercraft kit and are assembling their Deluxe Model 3706 four-passenger hovercraft themselves.

Hovercraft Pilot Training in Sweden

At the invitation of Neoteric’s dealer in Sweden, Ivanoff Hovercraft AB, Neoteric President Chris Fitzgerald is in Sweden this week to train a team of hovercraft pilot instructors from the Swedish Sea Rescue Society, Svenska Sjöräddnings Sällskapet. The organization utilizes two Neoteric HoverTrek™ Rescue hovercraft …

The Swedish Sea Rescue Society already operates a fleet of rescue hovercraft from Ivanoff Hovercraft. To enable the expansion of their rescue operations into inland lakes and rivers, smaller craft such as the HoverTrek™ provide more versatility.

The rescue hovercraft pilot training will consist primarily of open water training, with additional ice rescue and swift water rescue training depending upon the existing level of trainee experience.

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

The Swedish Sea Rescue Society plays a crucial role in sea rescue around the Swedish coast and is responsible for 70% of all sea rescues in Sweden. The Society has 160 vessels ready for use at all times by 1,700 volunteer crew members. The Society celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2007.