Gliding on Air: The Creation of a Hovercraft Megan Hodge Independent Study Fall Semester

Project Objective “Applied Science”

1. Hands on Independent Study 2. Study a hovercraft and how it works 3. Design a prototype 4. Build a full-sized hovercraft

Project Timeline

Planning Course, Project Approval Contact Bluebills Advisor Study and Explore Various Resources Lab on Pressure Study Designs for Prototype

Project Timeline (Cont.)

Prototype (Build and Troubleshoot) Begin looking into larger hovercraft designs Choose design (wall skirt vs. bag skirt, $) Acquire Materials and Build Hovercraft Test, Troubleshoot, Write Up Results

What is a hovercraft?

• • • A vehicle that can ride on air and travel over various surfaces Requires air pressure to build up underneath to lift it off the ground Used in the military, local and world wide competitions, and some are used for daily transportation

• •

How does it work?

Fan/Air Source inflates skirt enough so that the air pressure inside can lift the hovercraft off the ground Bag skirt contains holes to allow air to escape and push out from underneath to help with the lift and ensure that the skirt won’t burst

NORPOR

Great Advice from Mr. Porter (Boeing Retiree) Needs: Accomplish project for Independent Study Objective: Create a functioning hovercraft Resources: Designs online, Dr. Dann Planning: Choose design, gather materials Operations: Build Reviews: Does it work?

Redirection: What needs to be fixed/improved?

Prototype

• • • • Materials: Computer Fan Paper Plate Low Voltage Power Supply Wires

Prototype Challenges

• • • Computer wiring not long enough Weight to lift ratio Skirt design http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpI1BDt92lY &feature=player_embedded

Large Scale Hovercraft

• Design Selection Process (Bag Skirt vs. Wall Skirt)

Materials and Equipment

• • • • • • • • • • • Electric Leaf Blower 6ft Plastic Sheeting 4 ft. 3/8" Plywood Duct Tape Plastic Lid Bolt 2in 1/4-20 Nut 1/4-20 Fender Washers Staple Gun Jigsaw Pencil and String

Costs

• • • • Leaf Blower- $15 CraigsList Plastic Sheeting- $29.99 Ace Plywood- $12.10 Home Depot Nuts and Bolts- $4 Home Depot Total: about $61 (everything else I had at home (jigsaw, duct tape, plastic lid) or borrowed (staple gun from my grandpa)

1. Measure and trace circular base (diameter of 4 ft.) 2. Cutting the base 3. Drill center hole for bolt 4. Cut hole for blower

Building

Building (Cont.)

5. Measure, cut, and staple on plastic sheeting 6. Cut holes in plastic

Results

Test #1

Modifications

Test #2 Test Run

Modifications

What I Learned

• • • • • Setting up and executing the planning process How to find various resources (additional help, online sources) Application of physical concepts to make hovercraft work What an engineer does from start to finish How to work with tools and design

Thanks to…

Ken Porter- BlueBills Mr. Klingler- Independent Study Advisor Dr. Dann- Teacher at Menlo School Dad and Mom- “Sponsors” Grandpa- Staple Gun

Hovercraft Terminology

• • • • • • • skirting- keeps the air underneath the vehicle (surrounding the air cushion) to ensure that the air stays in (variations in the skirting can change the hovercraft's ability to move over various surfaces) lift air- the air that is pushed into the level underneath the vehicle that causes it to lift off the ground once enough force has built up thrust- moves the hovercraft forward often created by a fan that pushes air in the back of the hovercraft lift- the amount of weight that a hovercraft can lift off the ground is equal to the cushion pressure x the area of the hovercraft fluid- takes the shape of the container surrounding it (air inside the bottom of the hovercraft) buoyant- when the force the pressurized air exerts on the surface equals the weight of the hovercraft static pressure- what lifts the hovercraft off the ground

Hovercraft Resources

DiscoverHover Styrofoam Prototype Student Hovercraft Blog Balloon Prototype Basics Behind a Hovercraft The Making and Unmaking of the American Hovercraft | Popular Science Under Pressure: Launch a Balloon Rocket: Scientific American NASA - Thrust, Lesson 5 AIM Manufacturing Videos and virtual factory tours Lift Theories - Worksheet Lift Theories - Activity The Lift Equation Factors that Affect Lift Objects with Lift General Thrust Equation Dynamic Pressure What is Lift?

Lift Theories New Hovercrafts - Popular Mechanics DiscoverHover: Hovercraft FAQ DragonflyTV . Episodes . Technology and Invention . Hovercraft | PBS KIDS GO!

:: DiscoverHover :: Hovercraft Links :: :: DiscoverHover :: :: DiscoverHover :: Curriculum Guides :: LABS DiscoverHover Curriculum Guide #4 - Pressure and Lift- Experiment LAB DiscoverHover Curriculum Guide #1 - What is a Hovercraft and how does it work? - Experiment Neoteric Hovercraft, Inc.

Lift System Calculator for Hovercraft AP-Physics-B-Project - Aerodynamics of Hovercraft - Horowitz & Lopez