The Ekranoplan Passenger Liner was originally created as a military transport in 1912, yet by the time it was produced in 1919, industry priorities had changed, and many more people were interested in the idea of use of the craft as a form of passenger liner as a means to cross the many oceans, rivers, and lakes of the Southern Hemisphere. The Ekranoplan is not a conventional aircraft, but uses the ground effect to fly a few meters above the surface. Thus it is properly called GEV or ground effect vehicle (GEV).
General characteristics
Crew: 6 aircraft personnel
Capacity: 300 passengers
Payload: 28,000 kg (61,730 lb)
Length: 58.1 m (190 ft 7 in)
Wingspan: 31.5 m (103 ft 4 in)
Height: 16.3 m (53 ft 5 in)
Wing area: 304 m² (3,272 ft²)
Max takeoff weight: 140,000 kg (308,647 lb)
Performance
Cruise speed: 400 km/h (248.5 mph)
Range: 1,500 km (932 mi)
Service ceiling: 3,000 m (9,842 ft)
Service ceiling: 5 m (16 ft) in ground effect
Armament
2 x 12.7mm machine guns in twin dorsal turret
A ground effect craft may have better fuel efficiency than an equivalent aircraft flying at low level due to the close proximity of the ground, reducing lift-induced drag. There are also safety benefits for the occupants of the craft in flying close to the water as an engine failure will not result in severe ditching. However, this particular configuration is difficult to fly even with computer assistance. Flying at very low altitudes, just above the sea, is dangerous if the craft banks too far to one side while making a small radius turn.
