An Introduction

[Guest gprest]

Hi All

 

I am Gordon. Currently based in Bournemouth, England (though that may change if GKN in Melbourne start recruiting again).

 

I had a ppl many years ago and flew such fine steeds as Cessna 152s, 172s, Robins, and (my personal favourite) the Cherokee.

 

I'm a mechanical engineer, and have even helped to built a hot little recreational plane called the 'Speed Twin'. It flew well, but I don't think it was ever taken up commercially.

 

I was moved to join this group when I was following a web search for another interesting 'craft' called the 'Flightship'. Heard of it? It's registered as a sea-going ship, but actually uses a ground-effect cushion to scoot at about 2m above the water (or any other flat surface).

 

I understand that a few were built by a Cairns-based company for sale to the Maldives, but the company folded in '06.

 

Would anybody happen to know what happened to the ships that were built? Does anyone still operate the things commercially? How do you get to drive one?

 

Many thanks for any leads

 

Gordon

 

 

[djpacro]

.... though that may change if GKN in Melbourne start recruiting again ...

An aero engineer from the UK on holiday in Oz dropped into my office yesterday. I told him its not a good time to be looking for a job in the aerospace industry here, Melbourne especially. But you have to remain optimistic to remain in this business so my advice, Gordon, is to check again around the middle of next year.

[farri]

Gordon,

 

I live 45k south of Cairns at a little place called Deeral and I saw the original craft that came to Cairns,several times, on the ground near the sugar terminal boat ramp, in Cairns, however, I never saw it fly and to my knowledge there are none flying in the area,I think it wasn`t much of a success but I don`t know what happened to it or the company.

 

There was a guy in New Zealand who claimed he had perfected a twin seat model and had started manufacturing them but I don`t know of any of those flying either.

 

There were 2 experimental versions of this type of craft being built at Deeral,one was just up the road and the other was being built by a frind of mine,here on my property,neither ever got to fly,they just couldn`t get them right,the one built here finaly got airborn but as it left the water it went straight up in the air,fliped over backwards and almost drowned the builder,pilot, he never tried again and both were finaly scrapped.

 

Cheers,

 

Frank.

 

Ps, You`ll see me on my blog on this forum.

 

 

[dunlopdangler]

There is a company west of Cairns who may be able to answer your questions as it purchased some of the assets from flightship .....PM me for details if you are interested