Evolution of the Hovercraft

The video discusses the evolution of hovercraft, highlighting their ability to travel over various surfaces and their initial popularity. It covers the technical aspects, such as fuel usage and competition from catamarans. The decline of hovercraft services in the 1980s due to rising fuel costs and competition from high-speed ferries and the Channel Tunnel is explored. Finally, the video touches on the modern revival of hovercraft for personal and commuter use on the River Thames.

What was one of the key advantages of hovercrafts over conventional ferries?

• They were cheaper to operate.

• They could travel over land, water, and ice.

• They required no fuel.

• They were smaller in size.

What technological advancement began to challenge the speed of hovercrafts?

• Electric boats

• High-speed catamarans

• Jet skis

• Submarines

What was a significant factor that made hovercrafts expensive to operate by the 1980s?

• Higher taxes

• Increased maintenance costs

• Lack of skilled operators

• Rising fuel prices

What development effectively ended the major hovercraft route between England and Europe?

• The Channel Tunnel

• A new airline service

• A new hovercraft model

• A bridge across the Channel

How have hovercrafts adapted to modern urban environments?

• By operating only in rural areas

• By offering personalized commuter services

• By reducing their speed

• By becoming larger and more powerful