Hydrocopter

A rescue hydrocopter in Kuopio, Finland

A hydrocopter is an amphibious propeller-driven catamaran with a boat-like hull, small wheels and pontoon skis (as in a seaplane). An aircraft engine with a propeller and air rudder powers this lightweight vehicle over water, ice, snow and land.

Used in arctic coastal regions during "rasputitsa" or great spring thaw, when ice hinders boats and cannot support ground vehicles, it is a low cost alternative to hovercraft and helicopters and capable of rescue operations in weather conditions well beyond the safety limits of other vehicles. The Finnish Border Guard used hydrocopters from the 1970s to the 2000s, but they were replaced by hovercraft due to new, stricter work safety standards. Hydrocopters were never mass-produced; they were produced only by small machine shops for individual customers. [1]

References

  1. ↑ Kotka Maritime Museum. Amfibio 3000 KR-124 plaque. 2017.

See also

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