 Free
plans for building...
Mini-Flyer
A Hovercraft Powered by a Leaf Blower
Four-Foot Diameter Platform
Lifts up to 60 Pounds
Fun and Educational
Mini-Flyer's platform is cut from a 4 x 4 foot sheet
of 1/2-inch plywood. The skirt is made from a sheet of plastic. With power
from a gasoline or electric leaf blower, it's about the most basic hovercraft
possible. Built it in a day for less than $50, not counting the cost of the
leaf blower. Return the leaf blower to its normal leaf-blowing job when you're
finished hovering.
2D CAD Drawings and 3D Computer Model
Plans were created in CAD, but you do not need a CAD system to view them. Using
AutoCAD's free Design Review plug-in (which replaces "WHIP!"), you can view, pan, zoom, and print the drawings
from within your web browser. Mini-Flyer plans also include a CAD-accurate 3D
computer model. Use your free evaluation copy of Rhino to view, zoom, and rotate the
model so you can see it from any angle. Rhino also makes color renderings, like the
one in the image above. Scroll down for instructions and the download link.
Click on an image to see a larger version |
Install Rhinoceros on your computer to view and render the 3D model.
Instructions for navigating within Rhino are in the "readme-hc.txt" file
included with Mini-Flyer plans. Download a free evaluation copy of Rhino using the
link on the 
