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Bridging the gap between boats and planes
The SeaFalconTM bridges the gab between maritime and air transportation. Classified as a Class A WIG Craft Class A (Wing-in-Ground Effect Craft) by the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO), the SeaFalconTM is basically a hybrid between a boat and an airplane, combining the benefits of both worlds while eliminating most of their disadvantages.
Wing-in-Ground effect crafts skim very low over the water, typically at a height of 10 to 50% of their wing span. Due to the pressure increase under the wing at these low altitudes, the lift generated is up to 80% greater than when wings are out of ground effect and the aerodynamic drag is almost eliminated. This double effect makes wing-in-ground effect crafts extremely efficient vehicles, requiring significantly less fuel than an aircraft needs to cover the same area, with the same payload.
Ground effect as a theoretical category is an asymptotic value which decreases and increases of altitude. Theoretically it reduces to zero at very high altitudes. For practical reasons, the IMO has determined that a craft is considered to be in ground effect when its altitude is equivalent to 50% of the average of its wing chord.
For the SeaFalcon FS-08TM, ground effect is effective up to altitudes of about 9 ft where 10% lift increase is achieved in comparison to greater altitudes.
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