Students build hovercraft from scrap, win top honors

In what we can call the Eureka moment of the day, Career Tech Center (CTC) Skilled Program Instructor Randy Kitzman thought about using old recycled parts to build a brand new hovercraft. He got the idea while watching a show 'Junkyard Wars', in which two team competed with each other for building a machine using the spares available in the junkyard. The efforts were duly rewarded when his invention won the top honors at the recently held Michigan Industrial Technical Educational Society (MITES).

DIY Hovercraft

The original goal of building this unique machine was to work as an ice rescue vehicle for the local fire department. However, according to the Traverse City CTC team members, this machine still needs a lot of improvisation and advancement before it could be of any possible use.

As of now, Kitzman does not have any plan to take the hovercraft to any other competitions, but he might participate a contest in Ohio. He also said that any interested person who wishes to see the hovercraft, could give a call. And they would be more than willing to give a live demonstration.

The irony of the situation lies in the fact that building hovercraft was once considered a classified job.. This is what TBSAID Communication and Information Specialist Heather Jewell had to say about this project,

This project took on a life of its own because of how unique it is. The instructor started with a $35 blueprint of a hovercraft and everything else took research and discovery to come up with a fully functional finished piece.