Ground Effect - Connection to air travel

Did you know about the concept of Ground Effect?

In aviation parlance, ground effect means the positive influence on the lifting characteristics of the horizontal surfaces on an aircraft/ helicopter wing (simply the wings in most cases) when it is close to the ground. This happens primarily due to the difference in pressure between the top and bottom side of the wings of an airplane. This is applicable to both fixed wing as well as helicopters (otherwise known as rotary wings where the rotor blades of a helicopter acts as wings to generate lift).

When an aircraft flies, vortices are generated on the wingtips and generally called as wing tip vortices. These vortices have a negative effect on the lifting characteristics and reduces the aspect ratio of the wing thereby producing an induced drag on the entire wing. That is why modern day aircrafts (specifically wide bodied large aircraft) have winglets or sharklets at the wingtip to reduce this induced drag. This also helps in reducing CO2 emissions by reducing the fuel consumption by almost 5%.

However, when the aircraft is closer to the ground or surface these vortices tend to become elliptical in shape instead of being circular which is the case at higher altitudes. This elliptical shape of the vortices tends to increase the effective aspect ratio of an aircraft's wing as compared to its geograhical aspect ratio and thereby reducing the induced drag

.With this basic understanding, in 1963 a german aeronautical engineer Dr. Alexander Lippisch developed the concept of a Wing in Ground vehicle, otherwise known as a Ground Effect Vehicle (GEV). His initial design of X-112 was well received by the world. Researchers and engineers across the world started exploring the concept and studied more on the ground effect.

It can be said that the famous #Ekranoplans of the Soviet Union, also known popularly as the Caspian Sea Monster, was also developed on the same concept.

Now, after several years I came across this wonderful creation - the #Airfish8 of Wigetworks Pte Ltd which is also a GEV. While this aircraft or ship, not sure what it should be called, is still in its developmental stages and faces several challenges before hitting the commercial floors and getting recognised by transportation organisations around the world, this is definitely a revolutionary transport system. The efforts of the team at Wigetworks Pte Ltd and their visionary investors must be commended for this creation. The GEV flies at a height of 23 ft above the surface of the water making it fly at higher speeds than a speed boat and having clear air/ water space, meaning no airspace congestion too. This can be the future of air travel. Or water travel. Or simply "Future of Travel/ transportation".

Here is a small video for everyone's understanding of the Airfish and a GEV. Wishing Wigetworks Pte Ltd all success in this visionary endeavor of theirs and hope to see the #airfish8 takeoff sooner than expected.

I wonder what they would call these vehicles - Aircraft? Watercraft?

Am I the only one who is excited about this?

#Airfish8 #futureoftravel #futureoftransportation

https://youtu.be/-r7mFSq8PRU?si=9lp3b1fivB_3PwBB