ホーバークラフト訓練再開　「精神的なプレッシャーを感じる場所」　空港側の難所はS字カーブ　大分

Regarding the recent series of hovercraft accidents, work to install sandbags at the Oita Airport landing site has been completed, and training resumed on the 20th. ◆TOS Reporter Naoki Kodama "Sandbags have been installed at the Oita Airport hovercraft landing site, and the third vessel, the Tanso, is currently passing by while tilting its hull." Since training began in November 2023, there have been a series of hovercraft collisions with seawalls and fences at the airport landing site. In response to this situation, the operator decided to install 300 sandbags as cushioning material at the location of the accident and two S-curves that are considered difficult to operate. Construction work has been underway since the end of May. Training resumed on the airport side on the 20th. With these measures now complete, training resumed on the airport side on the 20th. The procedure for navigating the S-curves on the approximately 650-meter runway to the terminal was confirmed. ◆ Norifumi Oda, President of Oita Daiichi Hoverdrive "We recognize this as the most difficult route, so it's where pilots feel the most mental pressure." Aiming to launch in fall 2024 To that end, the operator plans to conduct six hours of pilot training at the airport every day. The hovercraft is targeted for launch in fall 2024, and if training goes smoothly, they hope to gradually begin operations from August onward.