1.
SV HOVERCRAFT LEAVES BEACH ON TO WATER.
0.08

2.
SV HOVERCRAFT AT SEA.
0.21

3.
SV INT. HOVERCRAFT, PILOT AT CONTROLS.
0.25

4.
LV HOVERCRAFT AT SEA.
0.36

5.
CU PILOT'S HAND ON CONTROL.
0.40

6.
LV HOVERCRAFT LEAVES SEA AND ON TO BEACH.
0.49

7.
CU CAMERAMAN.
0.50

8.
LV PILOT LEAVES HOVERCRAFT.
0.58



Initials PGR/V/WH/LW



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE WORLD'S FIRST COMMERCIAL SALE OF A HOVERCRAFT, THE CC-2, HAS BEEN CLINCHED BY A BRITISH AVIATION COMPANY, BRITTEN-NORMAN LTD.THE 25,000 AIR CUSHION VEHICLE, POWERED BY A ROLLS ROYCE ENGINE, WILL GO INTO SERVICE AS A PLEASURE CRAFT IN THE CHANNELS ISLANDS THIS SUMMER.

THE HOVERCRAFT WAS PUT THROUGH ITS PACES OFF THE ISLE OF WIGHT TODAY (WEDNESDAY).BUYERS OF THE CRAFT, SEAIRGLIDE, OF ST.HELIER, JERSEY, PLAN TO PIONEER HOVERCRAFT FOR INTER-ISLAND TRAVEL.

THE SALE REPRESENTS THE THIRD "FIRST" FOR BRITTEN-NORMAN, A SMALL COMPANY UNAIDED BY GOVERNMENT PATRONAGE.IN 1962, THE COMPANY MADE THE FIRST HOVERCRAFT SALE TO BRITAIN'S MINISTRY OF AVIATION AND THE FIRST TO THE ARMY.

BRITTEN-NORMAN ARE ONE OF THE FOUR BRITISH COMPANIES LICENSED TO PRODUCE AIR CUSHION VEHICLES BY HOVERCRAFT DEVELOPMENT LTD., A BRANCH OF BRITAIN'S NATIONAL RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.

(THE HOVERCRAFT, AN AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLE, RIDES OVER LEVEL GROUND OR WATER ON A CUSHION OF AIR.ITS MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE: AN ABILITY TO TRAVERSE LAND IN WHICH WHEELED OR TRACKED VEHICLES WOULD BECOME HOPELESSLY BOGGED OR OVER WATER THAT IS UN-NAVIGABLE TO SHALLOW DRAFT MARINE CRAFT.