Chinese scientists have developed a 鈥渨ing-in-ground鈥� (WIG) aircraft that can fly long distances just a few metres above the sea surface, state media reported on Wednesday.
The plane can fly as low as half a meter from the ground, hitting speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour (180 miles per hour), while also carrying up to 4 tonnes on takeoff.
WIG aircraft exploit a phenomenon known as the 鈥済round effect鈥�, which occurs as a plane flies close to the ground.
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At a height roughly equivalent to twice the plane鈥檚 wingspan, trailing wing vortices that cause drag are disrupted by the ground. This allows the aircraft to travel much more quickly through the air and increases the lift experienced.
The plane is as safe as a ship, although much faster, according to Xu Zhengyu of the research team that developed the plane at in Shanghai. 鈥淚t can carry much more weight than ordinary planes, while costing half as much and using half as much fuel,鈥� he says.
The China Daily reports that the Tongji University plane should consume one third as much fuel as standard planes of the same size, by harnessing the ground effect (see Green sky thinking: eight ways to a cleaner flying future).
Military purposes
Tongji University plans to develop a 50-seat WIG by 2013, with prototypes capable of carrying 200 to 400 tonnes scheduled for 2016 or 2017. Xu says such plane could be flown for military purposes, including border control.
The WIG has been listed as one of three experimental types of aircraft given the green light by the , Xu says.
However, the Chinese news agency Xinhua says: 鈥淭he Civil Aviation Administration of China has yet to confirm aviation regulations at such low altitudes, which may become a problem.鈥�
During the Cold War, the Russian military also developed a giant WIG plane known as . This was around 100 metres long, weighed 540 tonnes fully loaded, and could travel at 400 kph (250 mph).
