N500 Naviplane


The N500 Naviplane was a French hovercraft built by SEDAM in Pauillac, Gironde for the cross channel route. Intended to have a large passenger and crew capacity, it was for a while the largest hovercraft. Only two were built. The first was destroyed by a fire before entering service, the second proved unreliable and was broken up in 1985 at the end of its service.

History

The N500 was one of the world's largest hovercraft; it could transport 400 passengers, 55 cars and 5 buses. It was also one of the fastest and reached a speed record for a travel from Boulogne to Dover at an average speed of 74 knots.
The mass of the N500 was 260 tons, it was 50 m long and 23 m wide.

Crew

1 pilot.
1 co-pilot.
Seated side by side in the cockpit.
1 radar-navigator seated at the rear part of the cockpit.
6 to 8 stewardess.
6 stower-men for the cars.

Flight control

Flight yokes controlled the horizontal tail wing, propeller pitch and the thrust power of the 3 propulsion gas turbines
Rudder pedals controlled the two aerial rudders.
Two thrust levers controlled power of the two lifting gas turbines.
Obturation flaps system between the air cushion chamber and the skirts provided additional longitudinal and lateral control.
Later modifications included: