PERFORMANCE TESTING OF AN AIR CUSHION VEHICLE ON THE GREENLAND ICE CAP.

During the summer of 1964, performance tests were conducted on the Greenland Ice Cap to determine and evaluate the feasibility of the air cushion vehicle concept as a transportation method in polar regions. Results from tests with the Bell Tri-Cell Plenum Air Cushion Vehicle indicated that the test...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Abele,Gunars
Other Authors: FIELD EMISSION CORP MCMINNVILLE OREG
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1966
Subjects:
Surface Effect Vehicles & Amphibious Vehicles
(*GROUND EFFECT MACHINES
*SNOW)
(*TRANSPORTATION
GREENLAND)
(*SNOW
TRAFFICABILITY)
ICE
POLAR REGIONS
MOBILITY
AIRCRAFT
PERFORMANCE(ENGINEERING)
GROUND EFFECT
Greenland
Ice cap
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0632570
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0632570
Description
Summary:During the summer of 1964, performance tests were conducted on the Greenland Ice Cap to determine and evaluate the feasibility of the air cushion vehicle concept as a transportation method in polar regions. Results from tests with the Bell Tri-Cell Plenum Air Cushion Vehicle indicated that the test vehicle can cruise over an undisturbed snow surface at speeds up to 35 mph and produce a maximum speed of 42 mph. The test vehicle was capable of ascending a 6 to 10% slope against a 15-knot wind, traveling over soft snow drifts up to 30 inches high, and crossing ditches of at least a 5-ft width. The payload capacity of the vehicle was approximately 1000 lb, not including the operator and fuel. The skirt lifting sideforce concept and the harrow disk attachment proved to be very effective for control and maneuverability of the vehicle. (Author)

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