Partially aerostatically supported ram air cushion ship
The invention provides a new class of transportation with a partially aerostatically supported ram air cushion ship (PASRACS) that can provide safe, fast, efficient global transport services with extraordinary comfort, luxury and amenities. The PASRACS employs inventive synergistic combinations of lift from aerostatic, aerodynamic, hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces for different modes of operation ranging from a stationary floating configuration on a water surface, to flight in ground effect at high speed. A propulsion system can utilize hydrogen as an energy source driving fluid-dynamic thrusters, to enable zero carbon emissions operations. A transition method is provided for a PASRACS to transition from a floating mode to a takeoff mode to a flight in ground-effect mode in an inventive optimized manner. A transport method for multimodally transporting payload is provided with PASRACS vehicles and systems, with quick turn time operations enabled by the use of payload transfer transport modules and transfer vehicles.
1 . A transport method for multimodally transporting payload from an origin location, comprising the steps of:
(i) enabling a boarding payload to be accommodated in a transfer vehicle at an origin location, wherein said boarding payload comprises at least one of (a) a first plurality of passengers and (b) a second plurality of items of at least one of cargo and baggage;
(ii) bringing together said transfer vehicle with a partially aerostatically supported ram air cushion ship that is a water-based flight in ground-effect vehicle with at least three payload decks, floating on a water body at a mating location;
(iii) mating said transfer vehicle to said partially aerostatically supported ram air cushion ship utilizing a mating apparatus configured to contiguously connect said transfer vehicle to said partially aerostatically supported ram air cushion ship;
(iv) enabling boarding transfer of at least a portion of said boarding payload from said transfer vehicle to a payload accommodating compartment in at least one of said payload decks in said partially aerostatically supported ram air cushion ship, through a boarding transfer path; and
(v) transporting said boarding payload in said partially aerostatically supported ram air cushion ship on a travel path as commanded by at least one of crew and a vehicle control and navigation system, said travel path including a water takeoff phase with a positive airspeed wherein said partially aerostatically supported ram air cushion ship is said flight in ground-effect vehicle supported in part by an aerostatic lift force and in part by an aerodynamic lift force leveraging a ram air cushion between a lower surface of said partially aerostatically supported ram air cushion ship and an Earth surface.
2 . The transport method for multimodally transporting payload from an origin location of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
(vi) identifying a disembarking payload for said destination location, which disembarking payload is in on board the partially aerostatically supported ram air cushion ship in said payload accommodating compartment in said flight phase, and wherein said disembarking payload comprises at least one of (a) a third plurality of passengers and (b) a fourth plurality of items of at least one of cargo and baggage;
(vii) performing the combined arrival preparation steps within an arrival preparation time window of (a) enabling disembarking transfer of said disembarking payload from said payload accommodating compartment in said partially aerostatically supported ram air cushion ship to said transfer vehicle, through a disembarking transfer path, and (b) landing said partially aerostatically supported ram air cushion ship in a port region encompassing said destination location;
(viii) unmating said transfer vehicle from said partially aerostatically supported ram air cushion ship at an unmating location, utilizing an unmating apparatus configured to enable separation of said transfer vehicle from said partially aerostatically supported ram air cushion ship; and
(ix) conveying said disembarking payload being accommodated in said transfer vehicle to said destination location.
3 . The transport method of claim 1 , wherein said transfer vehicle comprises a barge configured to float on said water surface, and wherein said transfer vehicle is further configured to carry more than one selected among the following: said first plurality of passengers, said second plurality of items of at least one of cargo and baggage, vehicles, cars, buses, trucks, trailers, electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles, recreational vehicles, road vehicles, rail vehicles, wheeled vehicles, motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, three-wheel vehicles, vehicle trains, amphibious vehicles, marine vehicles, potable water, food, beverage, merchandise, fuel, lifting gas, cryogenically liquified lifting gas, liquid waste and solid waste.
4 . The transport method of claim 1 , wherein said transfer vehicle comprises a wheeled vehicle configured to carry more than one selected among the following; said first plurality of passengers, said second plurality of items of at least one of cargo and baggage, potable water, food, beverage, merchandise, fuel, lifting gas, cryogenically liquified lifting gas, liquid waste and solid waste.
5 . The transport method of claim 1 , wherein said mating apparatus enables carriage of said transfer vehicle by said partially aerostatically supported ram air cushion ship in motion and wherein said mating apparatus comprises at least one of: (i) a disconnectable attachment fitting, (ii) a positioning system for an attachment fitting, (iii) a cable, (iv) a structural beam, (v) a winch, (vi) an actuator, (vii) a guide track member, (viii) a deployable ramp, (ix) a controlled lift up system, (x) a controlled drop down system, and (xi) a controlled guided transport system connected to said vehicle control and navigation system.