New Airfish-8 (WIG craft)
February 262010
In 1997 FischerFlugmechanik granted a license to Flightship Ground Effect Pty for an 8-seated Ground Effect Craft of the first Generation. The craft was designed and built at AFD Airfoil Development GmbH. The design is based on the well proven Airfish design, and is intended to be used as a fast over water taxi. Flightship Ground Effect Pty intends to produce this craft under license.
During the development of Airfish8, it was attempted to receive a classification for this Ground Effect Craft as a ship, which finally led to the success Airfish8 is certified now.
FF was founded 1979 by Hanno Fischer based of his 30-years job experience as technical director of Rhein-Flugzeugbau GmbH (RFB), to implement his acquired knowledge in research, evolution and manufacturing of civil and military aircrafts, as well as military ground effect vehicles to business application.
Based on work by Dr. Lippisch Hanno Fischer together with his business partner Klaus Matjasic developed the first civil ground effect vehicles called Airfish.
The Airfoil Development GmbH (AFD) was founded 1997 by Klaus Matjasic and Hanno Fischer to evolve and produce, commissioned by an asian investor, an 8-seat ground effect vehicle by using the Airfish technology.
In result of this project the AFD GmbH gets the official approval as the first worldwide producer in case of ground effect vehicles by the “Germanischer Lloyd”. The AFD also gets the certification DIN ISO 9001 by the “Technischer Überwachungsverein” (TÜV) for deplopment and production of ground effect vehicles.
Based on decades of experience in research oft he ground effect by Fischer Flugmechanik and its realisation into commercial products done by AFD Airfoil Development GmbH, the German Government “Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung” (BMBF) in cooperation with the research institute for “Binnenschiffbau Duisburg” (VBD), pushed further continously the developing of the second generation of ground effect vehicles, the protected Hoverwing Technology. The technical demonstrator HW 2VT, which is working in this advanced and patent protected technology, is another milestone in respect of the scaling to major sizes up to 200 seats.
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February 26th, 2010 at 12:36 am
I kwnow that …
I kwnow that Singaporean company has fails to commercialize the FS8 (production line) but you can wait little more to see better WIG crafts in production in next months from Korea companies with German WIG technology – Hoverwing.
February 26th, 2010 at 12:36 am
This was the reason …
This was the reason that the prototype FS8-001 has canibalized by Australian company and restore back after 3 years by Singaporean company. Anyway if you want to operate a WIG craft you can address in inventor or technology or in Russia companies that they have already craft for commercial use like Aquaglide-5.
February 26th, 2010 at 12:36 am
In my comment I …
In my comment I didn’t speak about the Singaporean but for the previous partner of them that he tried in Cairns (Australia) to build something different (heavier) without knowledge and rights.
February 26th, 2010 at 12:36 am
Try to visit their …
Try to visit their web site (WigetWorks) or to read articles in news to see that the prototype FS8-001 has repaired and certified by Lloyd’s over 2 years now.
February 26th, 2010 at 12:36 am
The FS8 is now …
The FS8 is now owned by Singapore, they have tried to make it fly for more than 2 years. If I want to operate the WIG craft, how I can get one or two craft.
February 26th, 2010 at 12:36 am
Who told you all …
Who told you all that theory. Probaply you are confused with the failed effords of John Leslie team (Flightship Ground Effect Pty. Ltd.) to bypass the copyrights of German Airfish WIG Technology. Leslie illegal copies are more heavy than prototype and for that reason all these crafts never take off from the water.
February 26th, 2010 at 12:36 am
Operating of the …
Operating of the control surfaces by the steering wheel for a turn, is done in such a manner that the craft makes a coordinated banking maneuver with the craft simultaneously reaching the altitude required for such a turn. Banking angle is approx. 15 degress.
Turning radius is approx. 300 meters.
February 26th, 2010 at 12:36 am
does it bank in to …
does it bank in to turns like an airplane? what is the turning radius at full speed?
February 26th, 2010 at 12:36 am
FS8 is a very good …
FS8 is a very good WIG craft. But the craft is too heavy. Their engineers tried to get more horse powered engine to drive the craft but they couldn’t make it. I suggested them to use light weight composite material instead. But no response so far.
February 26th, 2010 at 12:36 am
very good and it …
very good and it does’nt chop up fish like a hydrofoil
February 26th, 2010 at 12:36 am
Is it still this …
Is it still this way, or have they been able to get funding. Because I would like to use this aircraft to startup a water taxi service.
It seems to me, from the WidgetWorks website, that the FlightShip 8 is ready to go, but maybe I was just reading it wrong.
February 26th, 2010 at 12:36 am
So there arent …
So there arent countries that it uses Airfish-8, only Singapore has the prototype in their waters.
February 26th, 2010 at 12:36 am
The craft has …
The craft has passed successful sea trials in Baltic Sea, Australia, Thailand and Singaporean sea waters. Now it is waiting in Singapore (base of investors) for new registration and maybe to start up the production when the local companies find out how to make a series of production!
February 26th, 2010 at 12:36 am
Unfortunately this …
Unfortunately this craft are not in production yet. The craft is ready and certified since 2001 by Germanischer Loyds and Loyds register of shipping for commercial operation but the investors and shareholders of the Airfish technology couldnt successfully adopted this technology in their region (SE Asia). They had a unsuccessful co-operation with a Australian company (Flightship Ground Effect Pty.) and this failed attempt has lead the project in serious delays till today.
February 26th, 2010 at 12:36 am
which countries now …
which countries now uses this?