How to Make a Hovercraft Work

Building and flying a hovercraft has a lot to do with the laws of physics. Physics will explain the equilibrium of forces between surface areas below the hovercraft board. This force of air pressure made to lift a load is the applied physics called fluid mechanics. To simplify, the scientific equations involved in how to make a hovercraft work is basically just about using air to create cushion below and thrust to move it forward.

You don't have to be an engineer to make a hovercraft, though. If you hope to spend your weekend in building your first hovercraft, basic skills and a common sense is all you need. How to make a hovercraft is simply to know the factors that affect its operations. What are these?

1. Weight of the Hoverboard - Since a hovercraft involves lifting, weight is therefore a significant consideration. The amount of pressure you need to create air cushion must be greater than the hoverboard. If you hope to design a hovercraft that can carry you, then add your weight to the equation. Not that you have to do calculations. Just increase the amount of air you provide into the system.

2. Air or fluid pressure. So while you're figuring out how much you weigh, the platform, and if it can carry your weight, think about other loads to consider. What about the weight of the device to create the air flow such as a fan? You need to add that into the platform and thus increasing its weight. Sounds complicated? Not really. Read the next items.

3. Control the air flow beneath the bottom surface of the hoverboard in order to make the whole thing work. To do that, a hovercraft has a unique air frame called a skirt. It's usually made of an elastic material strong enough to retain its form when subjected to pressure yet has flexibility properties as well. The skirt is fastened around the edge of the board like a, well, skirt.

4. Passage of air. You need a fan installed facing downwards in such a way that air is sucked in to the bottom of the platform. You need to bore holes in the platform to let the air flow. The size of the hole is inversely proportional to the air pressure output. This means that the smaller the hole, the higher the pressure of air built passing through it. Check out some how to make a hovercraft manual on how to do this properly. Since air molecules behave loosely, you need to trap it to increase more pressure. The skirt around the board does that magically.

5. Thrust and steering device. Now you have a platform that is floating on a smooth earth surface. Next thing you need is a device that can thrust your vehicle forward. Also you need to know how to make a hovercraft turn to the right or left direction when gliding. With this in mind, you need to set up a propeller and a rudder. There are hovercraft plans available that tells you how to install this. The propeller and the rudder are additional loads to your vehicle. Include this in your design plan.