Hovercraft Project

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The project I chose to do was hovercrafts. Hovercrafts are a mode of transport which is not very popular yet but, I think they are extremely interesting.
The basic components of a hovercraft are:
• The skirt
• The platform
• The fan
• The rudder
The skirt is a piece of material which is attached to the platform. There are small holes underneath the skirt which allows air to come out and creates a platform of air for the craft to rest on. The platform is the main base of a hovercraft. This is where people are and where you can control the craft from. The fan provides thrust and inflation for the craft and skirt. The air comes out of the fan and is directed by the rudder to control which direction the craft goes in. Air is also sucked up through the fan and is contained and eventually escapes the skirt. The skirt has low air pressure because the air does not have a lot of time to build up in the skirt. If it did then the skirt would eventually burst.
My aim for the project was to create a working hovercraft model and an information board about hovercrafts.
There were many ways in which I could have approached this topic. I could have contacted a hovercraft manufacturing company and see if they could help me with my research into how hovercrafts work and my model design. I could have also contacted a hovercraft captain and see if he could help me with understanding hovercrafts and my model. I also could have found any engineer and see if he/she could help me understand how the mechanics and engineering part of a hovercraft work. I could have even gone on a hovercraft myself and witnessed how hovercrafts worked.
I decided that I would use the internet for my research into hovercrafts. The internet is forever expanding an...

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...preventing air from escaping.
X. To prevent the material between the vent holes from ripping, you can use duct tape to reinforce the holes.
XI. Flip the hovercraft over so the plastic sheet is now on the bottom.
XII. Place the leaf blower into the hole that was cut for it on the top of the hovercraft and turn it on. You may need to lift the wood off the ground slightly to let the air flow into the plastic skirt.
XIII. Seal the hole around the blower with duct tape if too much air is escaping.
XIV. To test the hovercraft, place it on a smooth, flat surface, in an area with surrounding walls or fencing.
XV. The hovercraft will lift up and start gliding around.
XVI. Have an adult help you as you manoeuvre the hovercraft. Carefully sit on the hovercraft. When you are safely on, turn the leaf blower on.
XVII. Test out your hovercraft's speed and manoeuvrability.
XVIII.

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