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smaller-scale hovercraft. Work on giant ocean-going hovercraft continued under the BHC, but ultimately did not lead to any vehicle larger than the SR.N4 being produced. During 1968, the
British government decided to withdraw its backing for the company's feasibility study on large hovercraft, resulting in the BHC's development programme being curtailed.
321:, the profitability of the first generation of commercial hovercraft was badly hit, undermining operators' profitability and provoking requests from customers for more fuel efficient vehicles. Furthermore, hovercraft were not the only high-speed water vehicles making advances at this time; competing technologies included the
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However, not all commitments made by the
British government would be ultimately be fulfilled. As early as 1964, Saunders-Roe had been engaged in studies of very large hovercraft, including a prospective 2,000 ton freighter-orientated vehicle, in addition to its ongoing interest in the development of
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Throughout the 1970s, the BHC made several advances in its skirt technology, such as requiring less power to keep inflated; the company also produced extensions of its existing hovercraft range, which had the benefit of increasing payload capacity. It was also recognised that there were other means
267:
Substantial support for the hovercraft industry, and BHC specifically, was sourced directly from the
British Government. By 1969, contributions from the British state averaged around £3 million per year; of this, roughly one-third was attributed to research and development contracts, while the
242:
also held 10% of the shares. Despite the inclusion of
Vickers' hovercraft venture, none of its designs were ever taken through to the manufacturing stage; instead, production activity was centred on the existing designs produced by Saunders-Roe, including the
158:. In 1970, Westland Aircraft acquired the shares from the other firm's owners, making the BHC a wholly owned subsidiary of Westland. During the 1980s, the firm's focus on hovercraft declined as it became increasingly involved in the manufacture of
121:'s hovercraft interests. None of the Vickers hovercraft designs reached quantity production, manufacturing efforts being centered upon Saunders-Roe's existing portfolio. Perhaps the most high-profile vehicle produced by BHC was the large
367:
is a medium-size diesel-powered hovercraft. The AP1-88 was notably cheaper to operate and to purchase, being half the price of the older SR.N6 in both respects. The type was produced in quantity not only by the BHC, but was also
284:
division. In addition to financing, the
British Government was also keen to implement a regulatory framework for the hovercraft sector, including the implementation of safety certification, leading to the Hovercraft Act of 1968.
238:(the two largest hovercraft manufacturers in the world) were merged. Following the merger, Westland Aircraft held 65% of the shares in BHC, while Vickers had a 25% stake in the venture and the British state-owned
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In 1970, Westland
Aircraft acquired the shares of the other parties, resulting in the BHC becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Westland. In 1971, Westland successfully acquired the competing British rival
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208:. British manufacturer Saunders-Roe proceeded with work on various hovercraft designs, successfully developing multiple commercially viable vehicles. These included the
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class hovercraft; it was the largest civil-orientated hovercraft to ever be put into service; several were completed and used in revenue services across the
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433:; around this time, design work on new hovercraft effectively ceased. Instead, the company became increasingly involved with the manufacture of
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146:. These vehicles made advances in the efficiency and viability of hovercraft; the AP1-88 was produced in quantity not only by BHC but also
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had made the prospects for applying an entirely different form of powerplant to a new generation of hovercraft increasingly attractive.
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to drive down costs and thereby improve the hovercraft's commercial viability. These early vehicles had been powered by
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manufacturer that designed and produced multiple types of vehicles for both commercial and civil purposes.
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British
Hovercraft Corporation (BHC) emerged as a corporate entity in March 1966, at which point the
329:. As early as 1969, rival hovercraft manufacturers had encountered commercial difficulties and been
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200:, developed a pioneering new form of transportation, embodied in the form of the experimental
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Later on, the BHC developed their own newer hovercraft designs, such as the military-oriented
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The BHC successfully developed its own original hovercraft designs during its existence. The
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ordered a single BH.7, helping to facilitate the launch of a Navy-orientated version.
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were terminated during 1968, government support continued to be forthcoming; the
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in the world. It was painted on the doors of their hangar on the seafront at
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Hovercraft of
Saunders-Roe, Westlands, and British Hovercraft Corporation
437:, which were widely used throughout the aerospace industry. Later, after
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731:, 3 February 1983. Vol. 97, No. 1343. ISSN 0262-4079. pp. 297–299.
700:"World's biggest Union flag is repainted on the doors at Venture Quays"
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Inherited designs from the
Saunders Roe division of Westland Aircraft:
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capable of seating up to 418 passengers along with 60 cars, and the
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in March 1966, BHC was the result of a corporate merger between the
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had taken over the
Westlands Group in 1994, the firm was renamed
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for other company's products. In 1984, the company was renamed
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Created with the intention of producing viable commercial
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had, in cooperation with British aerospace manufacturer
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During the late 1950s and early 1960s, British inventor
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remaining two-thirds was divided between financing the
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Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1984
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Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1966
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749:Hollebone, Ashley. "The Hovercraft: A History."
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492:British Hovercraft Corporation BH.8 (Proposal)
363:class is a military-oriented model, while the
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313:As a result of high oil prices following the
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719:"Quiet Craft Hovers Ahead of Competition."
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686:"World's largest Union flag is repainted"
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414:During 1977, the BHC created the largest
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240:National Research Development Corporation
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603:"Hovercraft (Research And Development)"
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532:(first ed.). Osprey. p. 78.
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688:. Practical Boat Owner. 20 June 2012.
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499:British Hovercraft Corporation AP1-88
365:British Hovercraft Corporation AP1-88
144:British Hovercraft Corporation AP1-88
487:British Hovercraft Corporation BH.7
270:Joint Services Military Trials Unit
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561:Paine and Syms 2012, pp. 238, 595.
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938:1984 disestablishments in England
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832:British Hovercraft Corporation
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424:Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II
96:British Hovercraft Corporation
52:Westland (later GKN) Aerospace
17:British Hovercraft Corporation
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764:Paine, Robin and Roger Syms.
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495:BHC Hoverfreighter (Proposal)
302:'Double-O-Seven' arriving at
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633:Paine and Syms 2012, p. 147.
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278:National Physical Laboratory
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552:Paine and Syms 2012, p. 82.
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504:Patrol Air Cushion Vehicle
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702:. BBC News. 25 June 2012.
585:"The Hovercraft Industry"
370:constructed under licence
194:Sir Christopher Cockerell
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913:Hovercraft manufacturers
623:. Hansard. 26 July 1968.
530:A Dictionary of Aviation
528:Wragg, David W. (1973).
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306:after crossing from the
826:Hovercraft produced by
666:Hollebone 2012, p. 234.
766:"On a Cushion of Air."
675:Hollebone 2012, p. 28.
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386:Ministry of Technology
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186:Western Docks in Dover
132:for multiple decades.
621:"Hovercraft Act 1968"
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372:by companies in both
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257:class, and the large
250:class, the stretched
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928:Westland Helicopters
645:Hewish 1983, p. 297.
184:at the mouth of the
98:(BHC) was a British
836:Westland Hovercraft
339:gas turbine engines
236:Vickers Supermarine
119:Vickers Supermarine
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887:BHC Hoverfreighter
724:2018-10-02 at the
609:. 24 January 1967.
489:(Wellington class)
431:Westland Aerospace
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319:1979 energy crisis
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264:class hovercraft.
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164:Westland Aerospace
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751:The History Press
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422:to celebrate the
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182:Princess Margaret
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58:Headquarters
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347:helicopters
297:Hovertravel
262:Mountbatten
126:Mountbatten
907:Categories
510:References
435:composites
420:East Cowes
416:Union Flag
409:East Cowes
361:Wellington
343:turboshaft
331:liquidated
255:Winchester
206:hovercraft
160:composites
140:Wellington
107:hovercraft
100:hovercraft
78:Hovercraft
63:East Cowes
515:Citations
374:Australia
323:hydrofoil
272:based at
152:Australia
771:, 2012.
753:, 2012.
738:, 2012.
722:Archived
327:pump-jet
325:and the
317:and the
304:Southsea
276:and the
150:in both
74:Products
50:renamed
607:Hansard
589:Hansard
482:Other:
214:Channel
170:History
68:England
39:Defunct
31:Founded
892:AP1-88
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300:AP1-88
248:Warden
188:, 1998
872:SR.N6
867:SR.N5
862:SR.N4
857:SR.N3
852:SR.N2
847:SR.N1
477:SR.N6
472:SR.N5
467:SR.N4
462:SR.N3
457:SR.N2
448:Craft
396:from
378:China
282:Hythe
259:SR.N4
252:SR.N6
245:SR.N5
221:SR.N5
217:ferry
210:SR.N4
202:SR.N1
179:SR.N4
156:China
123:SR.N4
84:Owner
882:BH.8
877:BH.7
834:and
773:ISBN
755:ISBN
740:ISBN
534:ISBN
376:and
358:BH.7
234:and
154:and
137:BH.7
117:and
47:Fate
42:1984
34:1966
439:GKN
280:'s
909::
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566:^
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66:,
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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