Hovercraft Lift Calculator

Calculator created by Alex Olshove and
provided here as a courtesy to hovercraft enthusiasts.

Requires Internet Explorer 3.02 or Netscape 2.0 or later.

The JavaScript calculator on this page is based on equations taken from the book Hovercrafting as a Hobby, by James Perozzo. If you do not know how to use the results, you may want to purchase a copy of Mr. Perozzo's book. It provides complete information on hovercraft design.

Notice: Calculations assume a rectangular platform with a slope or wedge shape at the front. To use the calculator without returning to this site, save the entire page to your drive. Please do not repost without permission. Calculator is the property of Alex Olshove.

Disclaimer: Neither Robert Q. Riley Enterprises, LLC. nor Alex Olshove can assume any liability for the proper operation of any hovercraft based on results obtained from this calculator. Calculator provides approximations only.

Step 1: Lift System Calculations
Enter data in the following four fields, then press the "Calculate" button. Answers will appear in the "Results Lift System Calculations" table below.

Enter hull width in feet:
Enter hull length in feet:
Enter required air gap in inches (i.e. 0.5): (Distance between the ground and the bottom of the skirt.)
Enter gross weight in pounds (fully-loaded):

Results
Lift System Calculations
(Do not enter data in this table.)

Approximate Lift Perimeter (ft.)
Total Hover Gap (sq. ft.)
Total Cushion Area (sq. ft.)
Cushion Pressure (lbs/sq. in.)
Expected Air Velocity (ft/sec)
Lift Air Volume (CFS)
Lift Air Volume (CFM)
Lift Engine HP Required
Estimate Fan Diameter (inches)

Step 2: Lift Fan Calculations
Enter data in the fields below, then press the "Calculate" button. Answers will appear in the "Results Lift Fan Calculations" table below.

Enter diameter of lift fan (inches):
Enter desired engine power (HP):
Enter speed of engine (RPM): (For maximum service life and reliability, avoid operating industrial engines at greater than 85% of maximum RPM - normally, 3600 RPM).
Enter number of fan blades desired:

Results
Lift Fan Calculations
(Do not enter data in this table.)

Blade width [mid]	"
Blade Width [base]	"
Blade Width [tip]	"
Tip Speed (ft/sec)

Metric Conversions

American Units	Metric Units
0.394 Inches	1 Centimeter
1.093 Yards	1 Meter
0.621 Miles	1 Kilometer
0.035 Ounces	1 Gram
0.0022 Pounds	1 Gram
2.20 Pounds	1 KiloGram
0.264 Gallons	1 Liter

Hovercraft Lift Calculator

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