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close friend's dad just retired a few years ago as the CCG's only hovercraft
inspector. This job took him all over Canada inspecting hover vehicles. I
think you'll find that some hover vehicles are quite simple (the equivalent of
a VW bug). But anything large or commercial grade is actually reasonably
complex as a mechanical system. If it has to carry passengers, moreso. Of
course, combat units don't have to carry passengers, but they have to be
capable of sustaining some amount of combat damage, including damage to the
fans, the air cushion itself (the containment system), or the engines as well
as damage to various steering mechanisms and any actual combat systems or
embarked personel.
I would tend to assume GEVs are different than wheeled vehicles, but no less
complex. A military wheeled vehicle strives to be very capable and
maintainable which argues for a certain simplicity. Military GEVs are probably
about as complex, at a guess, just with different problems.
GEVs would likely have some sort of rollers for movement with the fans
powered down - a tow while in depot, for instance. They might be tucked
up under the plenum in some retractile mount so you might not see them, but
they'd likely be there.
If you want real fun, imagine the fun with WIGs in your sci-fi.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing-In-Ground_effect_vehicle
I thought one of the later editions of Traveller used WIGs. Maybe a JTAS
article?
The_Beast
TomB wrote on 07/14/2008 01:07:00 PM:
***snippage***
> If you want real fun, imagine the fun with WIGs in your sci-fi.
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the larger hovercraft, I surpriszed to see that they are able to run
maintenance inside the plenum normal operation. Their is room enough and the
pressure exerted inside the plenum is low enough for a crewman to move about,
patching the skirt from within and checking on components and performing minor
damage control. It sounds crazy, but it's true.
I know in Slammers, the GEVs seems to control movement through directional
thrust provided by the lifting fans and from what I've read and seen, don't
have any exterior stearing veins or rudder.
-Eli
-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Tom B" <kaladorn@gmail.com>
A close friend's dad just retired a few years ago as the CCG's only hovercraft
inspector. This job took him all over Canada inspecting hover vehicles. I
think you'll find that some hover vehicles are quite simple (the equivalent of
a VW bug). But anything large or commercial grade is actually reasonably
complex as a mechanical system. If it has to carry passengers, moreso. Of
course, combat units don't have to carry passengers, but they have to be
capable of sustaining some amount of combat damage, including damage to the
fans, the air cushion itself (the containment system), or the engines as well
as damage to various steering mechanisms and any actual combat systems or
embarked personel.
I would tend to assume GEVs are different than wheeled vehicles, but no less
complex. A military wheeled vehicle strives to be very capable and
maintainable which argues for a certain simplicity. Military GEVs are probably
about as complex, at a guess, just with different problems.
GEVs would likely have some sort of rollers for movement with the fans
powered down - a tow while in depot, for instance. They might be tucked
up under the plenum in some retractile mount so you might not see them, but
they'd likely be there.
If you want real fun, imagine the fun with WIGs in your sci-fi.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing-In-Ground_effect_vehicle
> At 2:07 PM -0400 7/14/08, Tom B wrote:
Any kind of functional roller will be large wheels that'll be a pain to have
normally. Usually, you'll load it on a flat bed or try to repair it in situ.
Not unlike helicopter repair.
> At 2:07 PM -0400 7/14/08, Tom B wrote:
Or roll a pallet-truck-style dolly under each end of the plenum, jack
it up and away you go....
Jon (GZG)
> --