S. Korea: WIG Ship, 'the Flying Ship'(Wing-In-Ground ship for commerical use)

Donga Ilbo ^ | 06/23/05

[TigerLikesRooster]

text source: http://www.chosun.com/economy/news/200506/200506230067.html

photo source:http://photo.donga.com/usr/photopro/phnview.php?cgubun=&cpage=1&photo_idxno=35478

/begin my summary

S. Korea: WIG Ship, 'the Flying Ship' 

[Seoul, Yonhap News]

posted : 2005.06.23 05:41

 

 

 

the S. Korean WIG Ship to be developed

S. Korean government plans to develop, by 2010, a (commercial) WIG ship. A WIG ship is a flying ship which is basically a airplane flying 1~5 m above the sea level. It is a cutting-edge high-speed ship. It exploits so-called 'Wing-In-Ground' effect, high lift power obtained when flying just above the water,  to stay afloat and fly in a high speed. They plan to use it as a next-generation cargo ship to reach neighboring countries or islands in S. Korea. It could reach Qingdao, China from Inchon, S. Korea in three hours. In particular, it would be useful for speedy delivery of fresh vegetables and fruits. S. Korea already finished a successful test of  a small four-seat WIG ship, whose development started in 1995 and was complete in 2001(photo below.)

S. Korean WIG Ship under Development

length	77 m
width	65 m
weight	300 metric ton
load weight	100 metric ton
flying altitude	1~5 m above the sea level
average speed	250 km
development budget	170 million USD(approx.)
completion date	2010

---

 

a small four-seat S. Korean WIG ship, whose development started in 1995 and was complete in 2001

/end my summary

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[TalonDJ]

The Russians built some really big ones like this as troop transports. Old idea, simple technology, very bumpy ride for the troops.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #3

I guess that is why they go for a cargo ship, not a passenger ship, even though the artist's rendition of the ship shows some passenger cabin windows.

[Bringbackthedraft]

Looks a little like the old Pan Am Clippers. (circa the late 1930's)

[jonascord]

I think they mean "ground effect" rather than "wing-in-ground".

"Wing-in-ground" is usually followed by "parts-scattered-over-three-acres-of-cornfield"

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #6

I cannot tell whether the reporter of the original article got the proper term. Sometimes they mangle English.:-)

[Robe]

I should apply for the chief test pilot...

I have a lot of experience running a Navajo up and down the Texas coast from Galveston to Corpus Christi at about 10 ft.
Ah but that was about 35 years ago
(:^)

[avg_freeper]

Wing-In-Ground is about as good of a name as "Smoking Hole" or "Lawn Dart".

[mercy]

LOL

[RayChuang88]

There were two big problems with wing-in-ground (WIG) effect ekranoplan vehicles:

1. They were not fuel efficient.

2. They were extremely noisy due to having to run multiple engines for forward motion and to induce the WIG effect.

However, modern design and engine technology has reduced the power needs of ekranoplan vehicles, so fuel consumption and noise are far less issues than in the past. I can see modern ekranoplans being very popular for any region of the world where there are a lot of short to medium range flights from the mainland to outlying islands; good examples of this are the islands off the coast of South Korea, the islands of the Aegean and Ionian Seas off the coast of Greece, the southeast coast of Florida out to the Bahamas, and among a large group of islands such as the West Indies and the Indonesian Archipelago.

[xcamel]

Noisy... like the twin-3000HP-gas-turbine-powered ocean going ferries that travel between Copenhagen and Oslo? (better bring your ear protection) - been there - seen that.

[Cold Heart]

Good weather & low traffic use only.

[Heatseeker]

I remember those. The "Caspian Sea Monsters". There's a page here but you can search on "Caspian Sea Monster" and get many more.

[eyespysomething]

[RayChuang88]

The problem with the Russian-designed ekranoplans was the fact they used jet engines to induce the ground effect in front of the vehicle and a turboprop engine on the tail to do forward motion; given the state of Russian engine design that meant very noisy operation! But with modern designs and the use of slower-turning six and eight bladed propellers, the noise issue has been drastically reduced.

[Flash Bazbeaux]

Wing-in-ground" is usually followed by "parts-scattered-over-three-acres-of-cornfield"


My thoughts exactly, but I think only the second quote mark is misplaced. "Wing-in-ground-effect" makes sense - the wing is close enough to the ground [for a small plane, which this one isn't, the ground effect area is about one wingspan, or is it a half, or one and a half? above the ground] In that area the wing compresses the air beneath it, sort of squeezing it between the wing and the ground, making it more dense, so the air provides more lift.

Flying a few feet off the ground, the wing would remain in this "ground effect" region, hence, "wing in ground effect."

[GladesGuru]

The Russians developed a fleet of related vehicles, some of a size to carry main battle tanks and at a speed measured in three figures.

[Swiss]

Seems like this would be ideal for China to use in an invasion of Tawain.

[TXnMA]

That's "Wing In Ground Effect" -- not "'Wing In Ground' effect" , dumb@$$#$!

"Ground Effect" is essentially a single term, meaning "enhanced lift near a surface due to air compressibility".

You ain't going very far with your "Wing in [the] Ground".