Another WiG project, but with batteries! And hydrofoils!

https://www.regentcraft.com/

[youtube]https://youtu.be/mVF7P7rAaxE[/youtube]

Hydrofoils have been around for a loooong time, this one just looks more fragile and complex

What’s old is new again









Because that’s not complex enough, nor did it really every take off in mass for I’m sure no reason at all…

And let’s add these things which also never took off in mass, for I’m sure no reason at all





Plus they picked one of the least practical methods of propulsion, and one of the most water adverse methods, electric!

So it’s even more prone to fail and is even more impractical, but then where like “hey how can we make this even less practical” also docking that is going to be super fun with the forward mounted props on that wing

It will have a a few EPIC methods of failure though


I’d rate this somewhere between virtue signaling and vapor ware

It's not a hydrofoil, it's an Ekranoplan, a form of ground effect vehicle.

It didn't really work out in the past and now they want to add the challenge of electric propulsion to the equation. You can fly a plane over water, you can't fly an Ekranoplan (safely?) over land. I'm failing to see a market for it. Their business model seems to hinge on it being far more efficient and cost effective than either an airplane or a boat. I'll wait to see if it manages to be either. Lots of others have tried to hit that target and fallen short.

The whole regulatory matter is not yet fully settled. Just, ugh.

And … eight 161 HP motors? 1,288 HP … a lot more than I expected, BWTHDIK.

Gonna need a yuuuge battery and a even bigger charger, she ain’t going to be doing quick turns all day

Electric motors can have very large peak ratings.

Suspect they operate in cruise well below that power. Once "on the bubble", probably takes a lot less power than getting here.

Mike C.

Electric motors can have very large peak ratings.

Suspect they operate in cruise well below that power. Once "on the bubble", probably takes a lot less power than getting here.

Mike C.

Ground effect bubble.

Chip-

I was expecting that the purpose of the hydrofoils was to aid in getting on the step more easily (less water drag) and into ground effect sooner. BWTHDIK about WIGs.