The N500 Naviplane was a French hovercraft built by SEDAM (Société d'Etude et de Développement des Aéroglisseurs Marins) in Pauillac, Gironde. BHC SR-N4 The worlds largest car and passenger carrying hovercraft A hovercraft, or air-cushion vehicle (ACV), is a vehicle or craft that can be supported by a cushion of air ejected downwards against a surface close below it, and can in principle travel over any relatively smooth... Pauillac is a small village and port on the Gironde estuary, famed for producing some of the finest and longest-lasting red wine in the world. ... Gironde is a département in the southwest of France named after the Gironde Estuary. ...

Two models were built:

• N500-01 - "Côte d'Argent" First flight on April 19, 1977 on the Gironde, demonstrating a speed of 40-45 knots (74-83 km/h). She was destroyed by a fire at its construction site on May 3, 1977.
• N500-02 - "Ingénieur Jean Bertin" (built 1977). Built for Seaspeed by SNCF. Transferred to Hoverspeed in 1983 after a number of modifications but is returned to SNCF later that year after Hoverspeed decides she is not suitable for their services. Broken up in 1985 at the Boulogne Hoverport.

The N500 was the world's largest hovercraft; it could transport 400 passengers, 55 cars and 5 busses. It was also the fastest and reached a speed record for a travel from Boulogne to Dover at an average speed of 74 knots (137 km/h).^[1]. April 19 is the 109th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (110th in leap years). ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... The Gironde is a navigable estuary, but often referred to as a river, in southwest France. ... May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... An SNCF multiple unit. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... An SNCF multiple unit. ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The mass of the N500 was 260 tons, it was 50 m long and 23 m wide.

Specifications (N500)

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Payload: 85 tons ()
• Length: 50 m (46 m)
• Wingspan: 23 m (22 m)
• Height: 17 m ()
• Empty weight: 118.25 tons ()
• Max takeoff weight: 240 tons ()

Performance

• Maximum speed: 75 kts
• Range: 5 hours ()

For an explanation of the units and abbreviations in this list, please see Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/Units key. The distance AB is the wing span of this Aer Lingus Airbus A320. ... In aviation, the Maximum Take-Off Weight (or MTOW) is the maximum weight with which an aircraft can achieve flight. ... VNO of an aircraft is the V speed which refers to the velocity of normal operation. ... The maximal total range is the distance an aircraft can fly between takeoff and landing as limited by its fuel capacity. ...

See also

• Mountbatten class hovercraft

SR.N4 Hovercraft arriving in Dover on its last commercial flight - 1st October 2000 The Mountbatten class hovercraft or SR-N4 was built by BHC, the British Hovercraft Corporation. ...

References

2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... July 28 is the 209th day (210th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 156 days remaining. ...

External links

• Transcript of a SEDAM publicity brochure
• N500 Naviplane gallery
• Images of the transfer of the "Ingénieur Jean Bertin" from its production site to Boulogne