- #1
matt5
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I am currently working with a foundation whose goal is to modify a hovercraft so that a wheelchair restricted person has easy access to the main deck of the craft.
A challenge our team is facing in the modification of this craft is a suitable method of allowing access to the craft by a wheelchair. The craft hull is made of approx 1/4" thick fiberglass and currently has a finger type skirt attached to it.
My idea is to modify the front panel so that it is removable, to allow ramp access to the deck. This however, creates air flow and pressure issues. Would it be possible to remove the five separate finger sections at the front and replace them with a single, wider section of skirt so that the air flowing into this section would come from the holes on either side of the front panel? The front panel section could then be sealed off so that no air is lost through this front section.
An additional ramp could then be used to pull the wheelchair backwards upwards to the height of the side of the craft, and then back down to the deck height. I envisioned that the front panels could be separated and could slot into slots of some kind when the craft is in use.
Any help is much appreciated
A challenge our team is facing in the modification of this craft is a suitable method of allowing access to the craft by a wheelchair. The craft hull is made of approx 1/4" thick fiberglass and currently has a finger type skirt attached to it.
My idea is to modify the front panel so that it is removable, to allow ramp access to the deck. This however, creates air flow and pressure issues. Would it be possible to remove the five separate finger sections at the front and replace them with a single, wider section of skirt so that the air flowing into this section would come from the holes on either side of the front panel? The front panel section could then be sealed off so that no air is lost through this front section.
An additional ramp could then be used to pull the wheelchair backwards upwards to the height of the side of the craft, and then back down to the deck height. I envisioned that the front panels could be separated and could slot into slots of some kind when the craft is in use.
Any help is much appreciated