Sandwell College engineering students are getting an inspirational project off the ground by building a real hovercraft.
Learners are gaining expert insight from Anne Scrimshaw, the college’s Fab Lab manager, who started out as an automotive engineer and spent 20 years racing and building hovercraft.
Anne said: “This exciting project gives students the opportunity to develop different areas of study in a highly practical way, from aerodynamics to fibreglassing.”
The team of Level 3 students has been working on the hovercraft project since the end of last year.
Students are now making the airtight skirt, by stitching neoprene-coated nylon lengths.
Ultimately they aim to trial the hovercraft in one of Sandwell’s green spaces, following an enthusiastic response from Sandwell Council cabinet members, who visited the college’s automotive and engineering departments last week.
