Students launch hopeful hovercraft
Students launch hopeful hovercraft
By Santi WE Soekanto
DEPOK, West Java (JP): Rector M.K. Tadjudin took off his jacket and, beaming, stepped onto the ledge of a funny looking boat moored by a small pond in the center of the University of Indonesia's compound.
Assisted by several helpful hands, Tadjudin got inside and found a seat in the Hovercraft Proto X-2. Before long, the engine was started and Tadjudin was off, circling the pond, taking his first ride in the amphibious vehicle.
Still beaming, he got off and patted Faisal Akbar, leader of the team of 14 engineering students who built the craft, on the back, amidst enthusiastic rounds of applause from around 100 people attending the recent launching of the vehicle in conjunction with the university's 45th anniversary.
It was a proud day for University of Indonesia (UI) and the students.
First started in 1990, the project of building a light hovercraft (a vehicle supported by air thrust downward against the surface of the land or water beneath it) never lacked enthusiasm from the students.
"Some of us joined and left, some stayed during the building of the first prototype, Proto X-1. Yet others stayed and finished this one," Faisal told The Jakarta Post. "What we have been facing all along is the usual constraint: limited funds."
Fortunately, help came in many other forms, including the Toyota 2,000 cc engine from Toyota Astra Foundation, and the aluminum alloy for the vehicle's frames from the state aircraft maker IPTN.
So far, the project of building the first and the current prototype of the hovercraft has absorbed some Rp 48 million (US$ 21,800) in cash and materials.
Led by Suwito M.Sc. of the UI research center, the students managed to share their time between lecture halls and the workshop; quite an important feat, given the tons of other assignments the students have to cram in.
At the launching, however, all sweat and difficulties seemed to have vanished. Aulia Zefriansyah and Gunawan Yunarto, two of Faisal's friends, watched gleefully when the team leader bashfully explained the six-seated vehicle's characteristics to several television-station reporters.
"Gee..you'll be as famous as Maria Mercedes after this," one of the students teased Faisal, referring to a popular Latin television series.
For a moment, even the student builders of the hovercraft seemed to have forgotten how important were the hopes expressed by Tadjudin in his speech.
Thanking the several industries which lent a hand in the project, Tadjudin said he hoped their interests remain high.
"This project is important, especially if we remember that there are large regions in Indonesia which are inaccessible," he said. "This cooperation between UI and the industrial sector to develop transportation for difficult terrains should be continued."
"Let's hope the students' project can be sold to a third party and be commercialized," he said.
Suwito explained in his paper that the technology of hovercraft is not yet developed here, although the country would have benefited greatly from it as it has countless rivers connecting many remote places.
"If we are familiar with this technology, it's possible for us to build our own hovercrafts, which will be cheaper than imported ones," Suwito said.
Faisal explained that some European countries and the United States have long used hovercrafts, both for military and civilian purposes. The crossing of channels, health missions to some remote regions in southern and central America, as well as the transportation of heavy military equipment are some of the uses of the craft, he pointed out.
"Here, a hovercraft would be very valuable," he said.
Hovercrafts, which run some 85 kilometer/hour on water and 55 kilometer/hour on land, would be particularly useful for purposes such as sea patrols, and search and rescue missions, he pointed out.
"Hovercrafts can overcome problems such as the varying levels of river surfaces...besides, these vehicles don't need special ports," Faisal said.
The length of the Hovercraft Proto-X2 is 5.6 meters, its width 2.7 meters, height 1.6 meters and it can carry six passengers or cargo of 450 kilograms.
"The main feature of this vehicle is its use of an integrated system to help boost its power thrust and elevation," the student explained. "This system makes the vehicle easier to maintain."
"This particular prototype still needs finishing touches, but we're hoping to building other, more advanced prototypes," Faisal said. "And we're hoping that some industries will be interested in investing in this project."