he AirFish 8 (AF8) is an 8-10 seater WIG Craft with a 17m x 15m footprint. It is designed to be operated by 2 crew and carrying capacity for 6-8 passengers in standard civilian transport configuration. It is powered by a powerful yet compact V8 car engine that runs on 95 Octane automotive-grade unleaded gasolines. Airfish 8 is designed and built to adhere to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) guidelines.
Safe and Comfortable
Fast and Fuel Efficient
Environmentally Friendly
Minimum Infrastructure to Operate
Fitted with the engine of a race car -- specifically a 7-litre V8 engine -- and resembling the look of a sleek seaplane, the Airfish 8 is in fact classified as a merchant ship.
Based in Singapore, the company behind it, Wigetworks, hopes to change the way people travel and offer a whole host of other uses with this innovative craft. For Sim Wong Hoo, a shareholder of Wigetworks and Founder of Creative Technology, the goal is to “transform, or revolutionize the high-speed maritime transport industry.”
Hovering about 2-6 metres above water and with the capability to reach top speed of 180 km/hr -- 2 to 3 times faster than ferries -- the Airfish 8 doesn’t require a jetty or runway to dock since it lands on water. This means that island-exploration becomes all the more easier as the craft can reach areas where ferries and boats would be unable to.
Explaining the possibilities to explore the thousands of islands in Indonesia, Philippines, Polynesia and the Caribbean amongst others, Sim shares that the craft, which currently sits up to 8 passengers, will no doubt offer a better alternative for travel to these countries and “open up many hitherto unexplored frontiers.”
Using technology first started by the Russians in 1960, the Airfish 8 itself is based on a German prototype and is the world’s first to be registered as a merchant ship with the Singapore Registry of Shipping.
Utilizing the Wing-In-Ground (WIG) effect, the craft essentially flies close to the water surface while supported by a field of high-pressure air beneath its wings and above the water surface. This creates the impression that it's simply gliding above a cushion of air. Travelling above the water surface also means there’s no hydrodynamic drag, making the craft much more fuel-efficient.
According to Sim, take off and landing is relatively swift and effortless when the water is flat, but it can get a little rough when the waves are high. However, that only lasts for about 30-45 seconds, and once airborne, the ride would be smooth and easy regardless of the waves below.
Besides the obvious island-hopping, Sim also explains how the craft could prove beneficial in other areas such as crew transfer from base to off-shore oil platforms, paramilitary applications for coast guards and marine police, oil spill recovery, transportation of cargoes, goods, and fresh seafood, as well as other military applications.
Music: SOS by Dhruva Aliman
