Hawaiian Airlines investing in 'seagliders' that fly a few feet above the water

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Hawaiian Airlines investing in 'seagliders' that fly a few feet above the water

Hawaiian Airlines investing in 'seagliders' that fly a few feet above the water - The Points Guy

The future of travel between the Hawaiian Islands could be moving from tens of thousands of feet in the air to just a few feet up.

thepointsguy.com

Richard

 

[x3 skier]

Another pipe dream.

Cheers

 

[Ralph Sir Edward]

The concept dates back to the '70s in the USSR. Look up the Caspian Dragon.

 

[jacknsara]

Aloha,
I'm guessing that even if the technology performs as predicted the service will be blocked by protesters for the same reasons the high speed super ferry between the islands was eliminated.
Per the article, the aircraft will rely on a retractable hydrofoil (between prox 20 and 40 mph) to provide partial lift during the speed transition from boat on ocean surface to fully airborne. I'm not sure how zero impact to whales can be assured during that hydrofoil operation.
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii_Superferry " . . . The protesters' concerns were that a ferry of this size traveling at speeds of about 40 mph (64 km/h) could strike and kill whales during its voyages despite this never occurring during the years the faster (50 mph) Seaflite interisland ferries operated. . . . "
One very important difference is that that the hydrofoils will operate very briefly and for a relatively short distance.
I do like the concept. I hope it works.
Jack

 

[x3 skier]

These Futuristic-looking Small Planes May Be the Next Way to Island-hop Around Hawaii — Travel + Leisure

Hawaiian Airlines just invested in a new form of aircraft to transport passengers from island to island.

apple.news

Nice looking “Concept”. But I still think it is a pipe dream.

Cheers