This service could replace the ferries, or aeroplanes

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quickymart

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#295756 21-Apr-2022 07:21

Backed by Peter Thiel, this sort-of hovercraft aeroplane is looking to launch services here in 2025:

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/travel/2022/04/ocean-flyer-to-launch-nz-operations-with-25-regent-seagliders-in-2025.html

https://www.oceanflyer.co.nz/

If they fly that quickly and that cheaply, I wonder how well they would do if they did the Waiheke ferry route as well? The suggested pricing looks fairly reasonable.

I suspect their range is limited by battery range however, so probably no flying to the US or Australia on one of these things (yet).

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#2904631 21-Apr-2022 07:58

Ekranoplan

vexxxboy

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#2904636 21-Apr-2022 08:07

personally i wouldnt want to be on that in the cook straight when a southerly storm blows through, 20-30 metres would be no where high enough above the water.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

Handsomedan

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#2904665 21-Apr-2022 09:09

I think it'd be awesome for a route like Auckland-Mt Maunganui or similar, but you have to ask...what happens when the seas are a little higher/winds are a little stronger?

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Oblivian

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#2904719 21-Apr-2022 09:27

I wonder if their $60 wlg-chc figure takes into account the safety realist costs that are sure to arise now.

Like the tuk-tuk debacle
https://i.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/118780947/engineer-acted-without-reasonable-care-following-tuktuk-crash-in-wellington

Being idea is one thing, fitting into the passenger use strict lines of legislation is another.

MikeAqua

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#2904720 21-Apr-2022 09:28

Handsomedan:

I think it'd be awesome for a route like Auckland-Mt Maunganui or similar, but you have to ask...what happens when the seas are a little higher/winds are a little stronger?

That's quite a design challenge because you have to take off into the wind.

So the craft has to be stable in water, but not too draggy, durable but not too heavy. Powerful at take off but not too heavy.

Some of the wind features encountered around our coast would be interesting. Glider vs 'Willy-Waugh' for example

Mike

empacher48

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#2904723 21-Apr-2022 09:38

Having seen these things come before, I don’t know how they would cope with adverse weather.

There have been Wing In Ground Effect vehicles operating on the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns in the past, their one held 10 passengers for trips out snorkelling on the reef. Problem was once the wind got above 20 knots or had waves larger than 5 feet it couldn’t keep flying and turned itself into a boat.

I would say there would be a lot more study to be done, but I don’t think 2025 is the year we’ll see them here in NZ running with any sort of reliability.

eracode

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#2904724 21-Apr-2022 09:41

I think there's something odd about all this and I'll believe it when I see it. In a small country and economy like NZ why would you start a service with 15 12-seaters and 10 100-seaters at a cost of $700 million? Surely you'd buy one or two of each and test the market - then ramp-up if it's successful. The story says nothing along those lines.

Apart from all that, what about the infrastructure? Where will they operate from? What consents are needed? The craft will need to be lifted from the water from time to time for servicing - where will that take place? Passenger terminals - doubtful they would be able to operate from existing ferry terminals, so are new facilities needed? The list of questions and improbables goes on and on.

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Dingbatt

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#2904726 21-Apr-2022 09:47

I’ve got to ask, why does it matter that it is backed by Peter Thiel? The article seems to spend a lot of time on this rather than the technology itself.

I was casting my mind back to when the flying boats used to operate out of Mechanics Bay on the Auckland waterfront, and the restrictions surrounding it.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

Handsomedan

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#2904731 21-Apr-2022 09:56

Dingbatt:

I’ve got to ask, why does it matter that it is backed by Peter Thiel? The article seems to spend a lot of time on this rather than the technology itself.

I was casting my mind back to when the flying boats used to operate out of Mechanics Bay on the Auckland waterfront, and the restrictions surrounding it.

It's not newsworthy unless there's a potential villain.

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eracode

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#2904740 21-Apr-2022 10:10

Looking further, it is apparent that Regent have no aircraft in service. They have a small prototype that first flew in Florida this month - and a quarter-scale remote controlled model. Their website says "Full-scale prototypes will begin sea trials by 2023". And Ocean Flyer are going to order 25 aircraft in two sizes and have them operating by 2025? Yeah right.

Dollars to doughnuts we will never see even one of these here.

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Eva888

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#2904741 21-Apr-2022 10:17

Having been on a hovercraft on the Mediterranean in 8 Beaufort, that was scary enough. It would need to be a very calm day on Cook Strait before I’d venture on it and how many of those do we get. What would happen if it dropped on the water because of a broken strut in sudden wild weather. Will it have an inflatable life raft? Will we wear life jackets. Wouldn’t like the chances of making it if tossed out in the middle of the Straits and no rescue boats or copters could attend. Nice idea though if the safety issues can be addressed.

Dingbatt

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#2904742 21-Apr-2022 10:27

Mattnzl:

The missile tubes remove the requirement for disembarkation equipment at the end of the journey!

WIGE is a useful technology for sheltered waters with designated lanes to operate in. You wouldn’t want a yacht to sail into your path.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

MikeAqua

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#2904770 21-Apr-2022 10:50

Dingbatt:

You wouldn’t want a yacht to sail into your path.

Missile take care of yacht.

In all seriousness, the general rule is power gives way to sail (exceptions for various situations). I imagine this would require a designated lane within harbours to avoid those risks. Once otu in the open it won't be an issue.

I assume these things will only operate on visual flight rules given the low altitude and risk of collision with vessels.

Bird strike could be interesting, depending on speed.

Mike

eracode

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#2904774 21-Apr-2022 10:59

Further odd-ness in an interview of Shah Aslam on TV3 this morning. The interviewer said something about a route "... say, from Wellington to Blenheim". Then at the end of the interview Aslam was asked where his first route would be. He said "Well, we'll take your cue - and go Wellington to Blenheim".

Interesting because Blenheim is not actually a port. Just wondering how well thought-out this is. He's also promising "Auckland to Waiheke in 12 minutes for 12 bucks". It's hard to imagine these things operating at speed in a crowded and somewhat constricted waterway like Auckland-Waiheke. Also wouldn't have thought that a very short-haul route like that would be best economics for these craft.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/travel/2022/04/ocean-flyer-to-launch-nz-operations-with-25-regent-seagliders-in-2025.html

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quickymart

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#2904776 21-Apr-2022 11:06

I wondered if Waiheke would be a route they would want to do. How would that compare to the ferry these days? Note that I haven't travelled to Waiheke for years.

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