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."