Amazing Flying Boat - Future of Sea Travel
he AirFish 8 (AF8) is an 8-10 seater WIG Craft with a 17m x 15m footprint. It is designed to be operated by 2 crew and carrying capacity for 6-8 passengers in standard civilian transport configuration. It is powered by a powerful yet compact V8 car engine that runs on 95 Octane automotive-grade unleaded gasolines. Airfish 8 is designed and built to adhere to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) guidelines. <br /><br />Safe and Comfortable<br />Fast and Fuel Efficient<br />Environmentally Friendly<br />Minimum Infrastructure to Operate<br /><br />Fitted with the engine of a race car -- specifically a 7-litre V8 engine -- and resembling the look of a sleek seaplane, the Airfish 8 is in fact classified as a merchant ship.<br /><br />Based in Singapore, the company behind it, Wigetworks, hopes to change the way people travel and offer a whole host of other uses with this innovative craft. For Sim Wong Hoo, a shareholder of Wigetworks and Founder of Creative Technology, the goal is to “transform, or revolutionize the high-speed maritime transport industry.”<br /><br />Hovering about 2-6 metres above water and with the capability to reach top speed of 180 km/hr -- 2 to 3 times faster than ferries -- the Airfish 8 doesn’t require a jetty or runway to dock since it lands on water. This means that island-exploration becomes all the more easier as the craft can reach areas where ferries and boats would be unable to.<br /><br />Explaining the possibilities to explore the thousands of islands in Indonesia, Philippines, Polynesia and the Caribbean amongst others, Sim shares that the craft, which currently sits up to 8 passengers, will no doubt offer a better alternative for travel to these countries and “open up many hitherto unexplored frontiers.”<br /><br />Using technology first started by the Russians in 1960, the Airfish 8 itself is based on a German prototype and is the world’s first to be registered as a merchant ship with the Singapore Registry of Shipping.<br /><br />Utilizing the Wing-In-Ground (WIG) effect, the craft essentially flies close to the water surface while supported by a field of high-pressure air beneath its wings and above the water surface. This creates the impression that it's simply gliding above a cushion of air. Travelling above the water surface also means there’s no hydrodynamic drag, making the craft much more fuel-efficient.<br /><br />According to Sim, take off and landing is relatively swift and effortless when the water is flat, but it can get a little rough when the waves are high. However, that only lasts for about 30-45 seconds, and once airborne, the ride would be smooth and easy regardless of the waves below.<br /><br />Besides the obvious island-hopping, Sim also explains how the craft could prove beneficial in other areas such as crew transfer from base to off-shore oil platforms, paramilitary applications for coast guards and marine police, oil spill recovery, transportation of cargoes, goods, and fresh seafood, as well as other military applications.<br /><br />Music: SOS by Dhruva Aliman