[Kokomoxcv]

04:26 GMT, 26 August 2012

Two designers are attempting to bring hovercrafts into the 21st century with a sleek,
sports car-inspired creation.

Produced in the 1950s, hovercrafts never took off but cousins Michael Mercier and Chris Jones
are eager to change that.

The Mercier-Jones Hovercraft will employ state-of-the-art materials and components from the
marine, automotive, and aerospace industries but will be marketed as a vehicle that the general
public can purchase and enjoy.



The pair reached out to investors for $50,000 on crowd-funding website IndieGogo to help
make the project a reality.

They only raised $4,000 - a mere eight per cent of their target - but the duo are not letting that
deter them from their mission to revolutionize the hovercraft.

‘The automotive industry is filled with futuristic concept cars that inspire and intrigue us, but we
never actually get to drive them because they are never manufactured,’ the pair said on their
now-expired IndieGogo page.

‘The technology of a hovercraft is both futuristic and intriguing, but the designs of current
production models don't inspire the way they should.



‘We are here to change that. Our concepts are the future of personal hovercraft, and it's time to
start building them to make you the next pilot.’

The Mercier-Jones Hovercraft will not only look like a high-end sports vehicle, but it will perform like
one too, the pair say.

‘The core technology of hovercraft has been around for over 50 years, and it's time for an upgrade.
We are pioneering the development of hovercraft that are quieter, easier to maneuver, and more
environmentally friendly,’ the duo said.

‘Mercier-Jones hovercraft will allow you to hover without the need for earplugs, will offer steering and
braking ability similar to a car, and fly-by-wire control on a gas-electric hybrid power train to unlock
design potential.

‘Our patent pending hovercraft directional control system allows fine tuned control in the forward,
lateral and reverse directions. Independent control over each side of the thrust system enables
advanced maneuvering for the pilot.’

Their goal is to produce entry-level hovercrafts for $20,000, but, at the moment, they are still looking
for funding from backers and investors.