In 2004, I published an article on WIG craft in a family magazine called Dharuma and many people were fascinated by it and the promise WIG craft hold to  transform transport in the Maldives. In fact, upon publication,  a well known business man, (Late) Mr Ali Abdulla, telephoned me and offered to finance a prototype. Unfortunately I did not have the time to design one then as there were too many work responsibilities. However, in 2015 January, when I was the Vice Chancellor of MNU, I submitted a grant proposal for a research project to design a 4-seat WIG craft. In this page I like to share our experiences with you.

Like most of you, I have also been fascinated by flight. Unfortunately, the opportunity to formally learn aeronautical engineering did not come to me. After a student of mine, Nashid, told me about the potential of WIG craft for small island states, I read everything on WIG craft I could get my hands on. Like you,  I have a comfortable familiarity with mathematics and physics, and with the help of many textbooks, the science is beginning to dawn on me, duh!  My passion for aeronautics has caused me to read about the the life of great aeronautical engineers of the past and their inventions. My favourites among them are the Horten brothers, Lippisch, Dornier, von Braun and Rutan.  There is little access to Russian literature but I am sure that there are eminent American and Russian engineers of flight other than the ekranoplan pioneer, Rostislav Evgenievich Alexeyev.

The science of flight. An introductory explanation for those who are not familiar with the science.

މަތިންދާ ބޯޓު އުދުހޭ ސަބަބު: އެއިރޯނޯޓިކަލް އެންޖިނިއަރިންގ އަށް ފާގަތި ނޫން ފަރާތްތަކަށް

The Caspian Sea Monster. An introductory article on ekranoplans and WIG craft. HTML  | PDF

ކެސްޕިއަން ކަނޑުގެ އިފުރީތު (ފުރޭތަ)

Airfish 3 model in free flight (out of GE).

އެއަރފިޝް 3 ގެ މޮޑެލް: ބިމުގެ އަސަރުންމަތީގައި އުދުހެނިކޮށް

Airfish 3 quick and dirty model to determine CG and thrust line issues.

އެއަރފިޝް 3 ގެ މޮޑެލް އެއް:  ބައެއް ކަންތައްތައް ދެނެގަތުމަށް ކުރި ތަޙުލީލަކުން

WIG model 1/5th scale. Testing in the lagoon of Male’ and Viligili

ފަރުމާކުރި ފުޅަނދުގެ 1/5 މޮޑެލް އެއް މާލޭއާއި ވިލިގިލީގައި ލޮނުގައި ޓެސްޓްކުރުން

Resources for WIG craft enthusiasts

Useful images

Academic Article of Interest to WIG designers

Another WIG Review
Height control in WIGs
WIG aerodynamics
Design of seaplanes
Constant Props

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