Original subtitles

Narrator: THIS REVOLUTIONARY SEA CRAFT...

WE ARE TRAVELING ABOUT CLOSE TO 90 MILES PER HOUR.

...IS TURNING SCIENCE FICTION INTO SCIENCE FACT.

WE ARE PUTTING A LOT OF EFFORT TO REFINE THE TECHNOLOGY.

Narrator: BLURRING THE LINES

BETWEEN SPEEDBOAT AND AIRPLANE...

YES! AIRBORNE.

...THIS MACHINE FLIES

ON A CUSHION OF AIR

JUST FEET ABOVE THE WAVES.

SPEED INCREASING 75 KNOT.

CAN THIS PIONEERING PROTOTYPE SOAR INTO THE MAINSTREAM?

THE APPROACH ANGLE IS PRETTY SHARP.

♪♪

YES!

♪♪

BREAKING THIS EXTRAORDINARY MACHINE

DOWN INTO ITS COMPONENTS,

WE'LL UNCOVER ITS TECHNOLOGICAL SECRETS.

FROM ITS SLEEK, LIGHT HULL,

STRONG ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND

THE BATTERING OF THE WAVES,

TO ITS UNIQUE WINGS THAT

CREATE HIGH-PRESSURE POCKETS OF AIR...

♪♪

...WE'LL REVEAL HOW THIS RADICAL FLYING SHIP EVOLVED

TO BECOME A MEGA MACHINE.

♪♪

-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

♪♪

MALAYSIA, SOUTHEAST ASIA.

THIS VIBRANT, BUSTLING COUNTRY OF 31 MILLION PEOPLE

ENCOMPASSES HUNDREDS OF TROPICAL ISLANDS.

COASTAL TOWNS HERE ARE BOOMING.

BUT THE CONGESTED ROAD NETWORKS

ARE STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROWTH.

MARINE ENGINEER AND BUSINESSMAN

KENNETH TAN KNOWS THE PROBLEM WELL.

Tan: ROAD NETWORKS ALONG COASTAL REGION --

THEY ARE USUALLY VERY BUSY

AND IT CAN CAUSE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DELAYS.

Narrator: THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES TO AVOID THE BUSY COASTAL ROADS,

BUT THEY COME WITH PROBLEMS.

Tan: BY BOATS, YOU TAKE A LONG TIME.

BY HELICOPTERS, IT'LL BE VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE.

ALL RIGHT, GUYS,

LET'S GO FOR IT.

Narrator: FROM HIS BASE AT THE INTERNATIONAL PORT OF MALACCA,

93 MILES SOUTH OF KUALA LUMPUR,

KENNETH IS DEVELOPING AN INGENIOUS SOLUTION THAT

COULD CHANGE TRANSPORTATION ACROSS THE GLOBE --

♪♪

A SHIP...

THAT CAN FLY.

THIS MACHINE IS STRAIGHT OUT OF SCIENCE FICTION.

REMARKABLY FAST, BUT INCREDIBLY EFFICIENT,

THIS SLEEK PROTOTYPE IS THE FINAL RESULT OF 13 YEARS' WORK

AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DEVELOPMENT.

KENNETH CALLS HIS FLYING SHIP THE AIRFISH 8.

IT'S A MODERN TAKE ON A 20th CENTURY TECHNOLOGY

THAT HARNESSES A QUIRK OF PHYSICS

CALLED GROUND EFFECT --

MACHINES THAT CREATE A CUSHION OF AIR

AND GLIDE OVER WATER.

OVER THE YEARS, ENGINEERS AROUND THE WORLD

ATTEMPTED TO PERFECT THE TECHNOLOGY,

BUT THE TRUE MASTERS OF GROUND EFFECT

WERE THE SOVIETS.

THEY BUILT HUGE PROTOTYPE MILITARY CRAFT

BIGGER THAN JUMBO JETS.

ONE COULD EVEN LAUNCH NUCLEAR MISSILES.

ANOTHER CARRIED TROOPS UNDER THE RADAR

AT MORE THAN 300 MILES AN HOUR.

♪♪

U.S. SPIES CALLED IT THE CASPIAN SEA MONSTER,

BUT ITS SIZE MADE IT UNWIELDY.

THE MONSTER CRASHED AND SANK DURING TESTING IN THE 1980s

AND THE SOVIETS ABANDONED THE TECHNOLOGY.

MANY HAVE TRIED AND FAILED TO FULFILL

THE POTENTIAL OF GROUND EFFECT

FOR THE MASS MARKET.

BUT KENNETH HAS NO INTENTION OF FAILING.

IT'S A RADICAL MACHINE CRAMMED WITH HIGH-TECH MATERIALS.

TWO COMPOSITE WINGS DEVELOP A CUSHION OF AIR

TO SUPPORT THE SHIP DURING FLIGHT.

A CARBON-FIBER REINFORCED FRAME MAKES IT INCREDIBLY LIGHTWEIGHT.

AT ITS HEART,

AN 8-CYLINDER ENGINE DELIVERS MORE POWER

THAN A FORD MUSTANG GT.

TWO CUSTOM PROPELLERS SPIN AT MORE THAN 1,000 RPM,

AND A GIGANTIC, 33-FOOT-LONG TAIL

KEEPS THE FLYING SHIP STABLE

AT OVER 120 MILES PER HOUR.

♪♪

TOGETHER, THESE PARTS MAKE THE AIRFISH

A TRUE MASTER OF THE OCEAN.

♪♪

THE FLYING SHIP NOW NEEDS THE RIGHT BUYERS,

AND TODAY, KENNETH HOPES TO SECURE THE FIRST ORDER

FROM THE BOOMING LOCAL TOURIST INDUSTRY.

THE HOTEL EXECUTIVES ARE ON THEIR WAY

FROM THE LEXIS HIBISCUS PORT DICKSON,

40 MILES TO THE NORTH.

♪♪

THIS IS A HOTEL WITH 522 LUXURY VILLAS

BUILT RIGHT OVER THE WATER.

KENNETH WANTS TO CONVINCE THEM

THAT A PRIVATE CLIENT SHUTTLE FROM MALACCA

WOULD BYPASS CONGESTED HIGHWAY TRAFFIC

AND GIVE THEIR HOTEL AN EDGE OVER THE COMPETITION.

♪♪

BUT HE FIRST NEEDS TO RUN A TEST FLIGHT.

HE CAN'T AFFORD FOR ANYTHING TO GO WRONG.

EVERY TIME WHEN WE HAVE POTENTIAL CLIENTS

OR VIPs VISITING US,

THE PRESSURE IS TREMENDOUS ON THE CAPTAINS.

♪♪

Narrator: CAPTAIN SYED ABDULLAH IS KENNETH'S RIGHT-HAND MAN

AND CHIEF PILOT.

I HAVE BEEN FLYING ABOUT 42 YEARS.

I WAS IN THE MALAYSIAN ROYAL AIR FORCE,

IN THE FIGHTER SQUADRON BEFORE.

-AYE, CAPTAIN. HOW ARE YOU? -FINE.

AIRFISH READY FOR TAKEOFF.

Narrator: SMALL PASSENGER PLANES CRUISE AT UP TO A MILE HIGH

AND CAN BURN HUNDREDS OF GALLONS OF FUEL AN HOUR.

STAND BY FOR TAKEOFF.

BUT THE AIRFISH IS AN ALTOGETHER DIFFERENT ANIMAL.

ITS RUNWAY IS THE WATER.

IT SKIMS FASTER AND FASTER ALONG THE WAVES,

AND AT 40 MILES PER HOUR, IT TAKES OFF.

♪♪

THE FLYING SHIP HITS CRUISING HEIGHT

AT JUST A FEW FEET IN THE AIR

AND ONLY USES ABOUT AS MUCH FUEL

AS A SPORTS CAR.

STAND BY. AIRBORNE.

TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, ENGINEERS HAD TO LOOK TO NATURE

AND TO THE GROUND-EFFECT PHENOMENON.

♪♪

SEA BIRDS, LIKE THE SEA EAGLE,

SAVE ENERGY BY FLYING SO CLOSE TO THE WATER

THAT A LIFT-INDUCING CUSHION OF AIR

FORMS BETWEEN THEIR WINGS AND THE WAVES.

♪♪

BUT VORTICES OF AIR GENERATED AT THE WING TIPS CAN SLOW FLIGHT,

SO THE EAGLE BREAKS THEM UP

BY RAISING ITS END FEATHERS.

♪♪

THE FLYING SHIP'S AERODYNAMICS MIMIC THIS TECHNIQUE.

UNLIKE MOST PLANES,

ITS HUGE WINGS ARCH DOWN

TO GATHER A HIGH-PRESSURE AIR CUSHION BENEATH THEM,

AND TO CUT DRAG,

UPTURNED WINGLETS BREAK THE VORTICES AT THE TIPS,

SO IT CAN REACH BLISTERING SPEEDS

ON A TINY AMOUNT OF FUEL.

[ PIERCING SCREECH ]

THE AIRFISH ALSO FLIES WITH A DISTINCT TRIANGULAR WING.

IT'S A RADICAL TAKE ON A STREAMLINED DESIGN

SEEN IN FAST JETS,

KNOWN AS A DELTA WING.

BUT THE FLYING SHIP FLIPS THIS DESIGN BACKWARDS

INTO WHAT'S CALLED A REVERSE DELTA.

THE WIDE, LEADING EDGE OF THIS WING TRAPS AIR

AND FUNNELS IT UNDER THE CRAFT, CREATING MAXIMUM LIFT.

Tan: IT'S DESIGNED TO CAPITALIZE ON THIS GROUND EFFECT.

THEREFORE, IT'LL MAXIMIZE LIFT AND REDUCE DRAG,

AND AT THE SAME TIME, REMAIN STABLE.

Narrator: THE PRINCIPLE OF GROUND EFFECT

IS BEAUTIFULLY SIMPLE,

BUT BUILDING A CRAFT THAT EXPLOITS IT

IS A HERCULEAN CHALLENGE.

♪♪

SO, THE WINGS ARE CONSTRUCTED WITH CUTTING-EDGE MATERIALS.

A TOUGH, TITANIUM FRAME SUPPORTS

THE 50-FOOT-LONG WING SPAN

IN THE DISTINCTIVE REVERSE DELTA SHAPE.

IT'S WRAPPED IN A CARBON-FIBER SHELL

TO FUNNEL A HIGH-PRESSURE AIR CUSHION UNDER THE SHIP.

ON EACH WING, A TOUGH CANOE-SIZED FLOAT,

KNOWN AS A SPONSON,

ABSORBS WAVE IMPACT DURING FLIGHT.

THE VORTEX-BREAKING WINGLETS BEND SHARPLY UPWARDS

AND CAN WITHSTAND SPEEDS OF CLOSE TO 130 MILES PER HOUR.

THESE UNIQUE WINGS ARE AN AERODYNAMIC MASTERPIECE.

THE FLYING SHIP IS PERFORMING FLAWLESSLY

IN ITS FINAL TEST RUN

BEFORE ITS DEMO FOR THE HOTEL'S EXECUTIVES.

♪♪

YEAH, WE ARE HERE AND LANDED.

KENNETH IS NOW READY TO WELCOME

THE FLYING SHIP'S FIRST POTENTIAL BUYERS.

EXECUTIVE SUNITA BASHKARAM

AND STEVE WOON WANT TO SEE HOW QUICKLY

THE AIRFISH CAN FERRY GUESTS TO THE HOTEL.

WE ARE ONE OF THE BEST RESORTS IN MALAYSIA.

WE ARE TRYING TO DIFFERENTIATE OURSELVES

FROM THE NORMAL CROWD IN THE MARKET.

Narrator: BUT WILL THE RIDE IN THE FLYING SHIP

LIVE UP TO STEVE AND SUNITA'S HIGH EXPECTATIONS?

IT LOOKS LIKE A FISH TO ME. [ LAUGHS ]

A WHITE FISH.

THE EXPERIENCE COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN INVESTING OR WALKING AWAY.

-THANK YOU, CAPTAIN. -HI. HI.

Narrator: KENNETH HAS PROMISED TO CUT

THE TYPICAL TWO-HOUR CAR JOURNEY TO PORT DICKSON

TO LESS THAN 45 MINUTES.

I'M GOING TO TIME MYSELF TO SEE EXACTLY HOW MANY MINUTES

IT'S GOING TO TAKE ME TO REACH THE LEXIS HIBISCUS PORT DICKSON.

♪♪

-OKAY, DONE. -OKAY.

YES.

Narrator: 13 YEARS OF HARD WORK

HAVE BEEN LEADING UP TO THIS CRITICAL MOMENT.

BUT EVEN THE BEST LAID PLANS QUICKLY RUN INTO PROBLEMS.

THE WIND HAS PICKED UP.

THE ONCE CALM SEA IS BECOMING VERY CHOPPY.

-FLASH ENGAGE. -FLASH ENGAGE.

♪♪

Narrator: THE CONDITIONS COULD MAKE IT HARDER

TO GET TO TAKEOFF SPEED.

AND A LONG, BUMPY TAKEOFF COULD RUIN THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE.

-WHOA! -OHH!

Narrator: THIS IS KENNETH'S WORST NIGHTMARE.

IT'S VERY BUMPY.

HE HAS TO TAKE OFF NOW

OR HIS DREAMS COULD SINK WITHOUT A TRACE.

♪♪

Narrator: IN THE WATERS OF MALAYSIA,

THE FLYING SHIP HAS BEGUN ITS MOST IMPORTANT TEST TO DATE.

♪♪

IF THESE EXECS ARE IMPRESSED,

THEIR HOTEL COULD BE THE FIRST OWNERS

OF A PRIVATE FLYING SHIP.

BUT THE CHOPPY SEA IS MAKING TAKEOFF ANYTHING

BUT SMOOTH SAILING.

THE FLYING SHIP SHOULD BE JUST SECONDS AWAY FROM TAKEOFF.

BUT WITH EACH LIFT OF THE NOSE,

THE ROUGH WATER SUCKS THE HULL BACK

AND SLAMS IT DOWN ONTO THE WATER AGAIN AND AGAIN.

OHH!

IT'S NOT THE SMOOTH RIDE THE HOTEL EXECS WERE HOPING FOR.

WHOA.

♪♪

BUT TO OVERCOME ROUGH TAKEOFFS,

THE AIRFISH USES TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED

FOR HIGH-POWER SPORT BOATS.

♪♪

TRADITIONAL BOATS HAVE A SMOOTH HULL,

BUT WHEN THEY GAIN SPEED,

THE LARGE SURFACE AREA BUILDS UP MORE AND MORE DRAG.

BUT SOME OF THE FASTEST BOATS HAVE A CUTOUT IN THE HULL,

CALLED A STEP.

SO AS THEY SPEED UP,

THEY LIFT UP ONTO THE STEP AND SKIM THE WATER'S SURFACE

ON JUST A TINY PATCH OF HULL.

THE AIRFISH BORROWS THIS DESIGN,

USING ITS OWN STEP TO PUSH OUT OF THE WATER

AND TO GET TO TAKEOFF SPEED QUICKER.

♪♪

WHEN IT HITS 40 MILES PER HOUR,

THE WINGS TAKE OVER AND LIFT THE SHIP INTO THE AIR.

IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY FEAT OF NAUTICAL ENGINEERING.

♪♪

BUT TO BATTLE THROUGH THESE CHOPPY WATERS,

KENNETH HAS TO OPEN THE THROTTLE COMPLETELY.

AND THE FLYING SHIP RISES UP ON ITS STEP.

♪♪

GLIDING ON A CUSHION OF COMPRESSED AIR,

THE BUMPY START INSTANTLY BECOMES AN EFFORTLESS RIDE.

YEAH.

♪♪

[ Chuckling ] YEAH, EXACTLY.

♪♪

WITH CLEAR WATER AHEAD, KENNETH INCREASES THE SPEED.

OH, 8 MINUTES.

Narrator: 76 KNOTS IS FASTER THAN ANY YACHT ON EARTH.

♪♪

BUT HOW DOES THE FLYING SHIP ACHIEVE THESE SPEEDS

SO QUICKLY AFTER TAKEOFF?

♪♪

THE PUMPING HEART OF THE FLYING SHIP

HAS THE SAME 7-LITER, V-8 ENGINE AS A CORVETTE.

DURING TAKEOFF, IT DELIVERS A STAGGERING 500 HORSEPOWER.

ITS CRANKSHAFT DRIVES A PAIR OF SUPER-STRONG RUBBER BELTS

THAT WHIP THROUGH THE CRAFT AT MORE THAN 40 MILES PER HOUR.

THEY DELIVER THE RAW ENGINE POWER TO LARGE GEARS

WHICH TRANSFER ROTATION ALONG DRIVESHAFTS,

SPINNING TWO CUSTOM-ENGINEERED PROPELLERS

AT OVER 1,000 RPM.

THIS ONE-OF-A-KIND PRECISION POWER TRAIN

ALLOWS THE FLYING SHIP TO SOAR AT CLOSE TO 130 MILES PER HOUR.

THE FLYING SHIP CUTS THROUGH THE AIR WITH INCREDIBLE EFFICIENCY.

IT USES JUST A FRACTION OF THE FUEL

OF A SIMILAR-SIZED HELICOPTER,

WHILE POTENTIALLY SATISFYING

STEVE AND SUNITA'S NEED

FOR FAST HOTEL TRANSPORTATION.

THE VIPs MAY BE TEMPTED TO BUY ONE YET.

THE MOMENT WHEN CLIENTS LIKE THEM BUY ONE OF THESE,

AND THE REST WILL FOLLOW SUIT.

THE FASTEST WE CAN GET BY LAND FROM BACK THERE

TO OUR PLACE IS ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF.

THAT'S THE FASTEST... YEAH.

...WHICH RARELY YOU GET.

IT WOULD PROBABLY BE TAKING ABOUT TWO HOURS.

EXACTLY.

♪♪

KENNETH'S BEEN LUCKY WITH THE SEA TRAFFIC SO FAR,

BUT THAT'S ABOUT TO CHANGE.

♪♪

THE STRAIT OF MALACCA ARE DOTTED WITH BIG OBSTACLES.

♪♪

AT THESE SPEEDS, A COLLISION COULD BE FATAL.

AND UNLIKE AN ORDINARY PLANE,

THEY CAN'T ADJUST ALTITUDE TO FLY OVER THESE OBSTACLES.

THE CAPTAIN MUST MANEUVER AROUND THE TANKERS.

THE FLYING SHIP STEERS JUST LIKE A PLANE.

ROLLING.

CAPTAIN SYED TURNS THE CONTROL WHEEL

AND FLAPS ON THE WINGLETS AND TAIL

ROLL THE CRAFT ONTO A SMOOTH, CURVING PATH.

OH, OKAY.

HE EASES THE FLYING SHIP SAFELY AROUND THE TANKERS.

♪♪

AND THEY'VE GOT A CLEAR PATH TO THE HOTEL.

♪♪

THIS IS THE HIBISCUS IN FRONT.

WHOA, THERE, LOOK. IT'S THE HIBISCUS.

Narrator: THE FLYING SHIP HAS CLEARLY IMPRESSED THE GUESTS,

SMASHING THE TYPICAL TWO-HOUR JOURNEY TIME

TO PORT DICKSON BY 90 MINUTES.

WE JUST FLEW 22 MINUTES, AND WE CAN SEE THE RESORT.

IT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF US NOW.

IF WE ARE GUESTS, YOU KNOW, FROM THE RESORT,

WHO WANTS TO GO TO MALACCA,

THIS IS DEFINITELY A VERY GOOD ALTERNATIVE.

♪♪

THE SIGNS ARE POSITIVE,

BUT AFTER ROUGH SEAS ROCKED THE CLIENTS DURING TAKEOFF,

KENNETH COULD USE A SMOOTH LANDING.

HE EASES BACK ON THE THROTTLE,

SLOWING TO 40 MILES PER HOUR.

ANY TIME NOW.

THIS CAUSES THE AIR FLOW UNDER THE REVERSE DELTA WING

TO SLOW SIGNIFICANTLY,

REDUCING LIFT.

♪♪

-BRACE. -OKAY.

Narrator: BUT THE SEA STILL ISN'T PLAYING BALL.

THE CHOPPY WATER IS MAKING LANDING

EVEN BUMPIER THAN TAKEOFF.

♪♪

OHH!

[ BEEPING ]

Narrator: WILL THE ROUGH EXPERIENCE

THROW THESE CLIENTS' EXPECTATIONS OFF COURSE?

Narrator: WHILE TRYING TO WOO HOTEL EXECUTIVES

INTO PURCHASING THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART FLYING SHIP,

CHOPPY WATERS MAKE EVERYONE BRACE

FOR A ROUGH LANDING.

BUT TO OVERCOME THIS, ENGINEERS HAD TO DESIGN

THE FLYING SHIP TO ROLL WITH THESE PUNCHES.

♪♪

ABOVE THE HULL,

THIS MACHINE IS BUILT FOR THE AIR,

USING MATERIALS THAT ARE LIGHTWEIGHT AND TOUGH.

OUTSIDE IS A SUPER-STRONG CARBON-FIBER SHELL.

INSIDE IS A STURDY HONEYCOMB STRUCTURE

THAT'S INFUSED WITH HEAT-RESISTANT RESIN

TO DOUBLE THE STRENGTH.

BELOW THE COCKPIT,

THE HULL IS BUILT TO TAKE A SERIOUS BEATING.

UNDER A TOUGH FIBERGLASS SKIN IS A BUOYANT PVC-FOAM CORE

THAT'S DESIGNED TO ABSORB WAVE STRIKES.

THESE TWO VERY DIFFERENT HALVES WORK TOGETHER

AND ALLOW THE FLYING SHIP TO LAND SAFELY.

♪♪

NOT TOO BAD.

♪♪

WOW! THE WIND IS... WHEW, TERRIBLE.

OKAY. WHOA. WHOA.

RELAX.

BUT KENNETH IS CONCERNED THAT THE BUMPY TAKEOFF AND LANDING

MAY HAVE RUINED HIS CHANCES OF SEALING A DEAL.

WITH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AT STAKE,

KENNETH MUST FIND OUT WHAT THE HOTELIERS THINK.

♪♪

HOW DOES AIRFISH JOB WITH YOUR CLIENTELE?

♪♪

I THINK THOSE VISITING TRAVELERS, YOU KNOW,

WHO LIKE TO HAVE SOME ADVENTURE

COMING DOWN TO OUR PLACE FROM MALACCA,

THEY WOULD FIND IT SOMETHING VERY, VERY EXCITING,

AND I THINK IT'D BE A FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE FOR THEM.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE LOOK VERY MUCH FORWARD TO WORKING WITH AIRFISH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING ONBOARD.

Bashkaram: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

♪♪

Narrator: IT'S BEEN A GOOD DAY.

THEY FLYING SHIP HAS PROVED ITS WORTH

TO THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY MATTER --

ITS POTENTIAL BUYERS.

BUT KENNETH ISN'T LIMITING

THE FLYING SHIP'S POTENTIAL TO THE TOURISM MARKET.

HE THINKS IT COULD ALSO BE USED FOR AN EVEN GREATER CHALLENGE --

AS AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE VEHICLE

FOR A PROBLEM THAT IMPACTS THE SEAS OFF MALAYSIA --

OIL SPILLS.

Tan: OIL SPILLS ARE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM

AND THEY CREATE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE.

NARRATOR: KENNETH THINKS HIS FLYING SHIP

COULD REVOLUTIONIZE THE WAY THE MALAYSIAN AUTHORITIES DEAL

WITH THESE DISASTERS.

♪♪

MALAYSIA'S MALACCA STRAIT IS

ONE OF THE BUSIEST COMMERCIAL WATERWAYS IN THE WORLD.

NEARLY 100,000 OIL TANKERS

PASS THROUGH HERE EVERY YEAR.

THE RISK OF OIL SPILLS IS HIGH.

WHEN A DISASTER HAPPENS, MARINE ENGINEERS SPRAY

OIL-BUSTING CHEMICALS OVER THE SLICK

TO BREAK IT DOWN BEFORE IT SPREADS TOO FAR.

BUT FINDING THE BEST VEHICLE TO DEPLOY THESE CHEMICALS

EFFECTIVELY IS A HUGE CHALLENGE.

♪♪

CHEMICAL-SPRAYING BOATS

CAN CARRY HEAVY LOADS OF OIL DISPERSANT

AND CAN COVER LARGE AREAS,

BUT THEY MUST MOVE SLOWLY

TO AVOID CREATING A WAKE

AND SPREADING THE OIL FURTHER.

WHEN SPEED IS OF THE ESSENCE,

HELICOPTERS ARE FAST,

BUT THEY'RE COSTLY TO OPERATE

FOR THE SMALL LOAD THEY CAN CARRY.

♪♪

AIRPLANES ARE FAST AND CAN CARRY A HEAVY LOAD,

BUT THEY NEED EXPENSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE,

INCLUDING DEDICATED RUNWAYS.

BUT THE FLYING SHIP USES THE WATER AS ITS RUNWAY.

IT'S FAST AND ECONOMICAL,

AND, IN THEORY, SHOULD GENERATE ALMOST NO WAKE.

♪♪

Tan: I BELIEVE OUR AIRFISH WILL

BE ABLE TO HELP RESOLVE THESE OIL SPILL ISSUES.

♪♪

BUT THIS IS THE MAN KENNETH MUST CONVINCE.

♪♪

CAPTAIN KALEED J. ZULKURNAIN IS OIL SPILL TECHNICAL COORDINATOR

FOR THE MALAYSIAN MARINE DEPARTMENT.

WHEN A SPILL HAPPENS,

IT'S HIS JOB TO CONTAIN IT.

THERE WERE 60 CASES OF OIL SPILLS

REPORTED IN 2016 ALONE.

KENNETH WANTS TO CONVINCE KALEED

THAT THE FLYING SHIP COULD BE A REAL ASSET

IN TREATING OIL SPILLS

AND SECURE A CONTRACT.

HEY, KALEED. GOOD TO SEE YOU.

-HOW ARE YOU? -OKAY. COME ON IN.

-SO THIS IS HER? -THIS IS IT.

THIS IS AIRFISH.

-AIRFISH 8. -YES.

♪♪

Narrator: KALEED ISN'T HERE ALONE.

WAITING OFFSHORE IS A MARINE DEPARTMENT

OIL SPILL UNIT.

♪♪

THEY'RE SETTING UP FOR A FULL-SCALE

OIL SPILL SIMULATION DRILL

TO PUT THE FLYING SHIP IN A HIGH-STAKES TEST.

♪♪

THOUGH IT'S NEVER BEEN TESTED,

KENNETH BELIEVES THE FLYING SHIP CAN

MATCH THE PERFORMANCE OF AN OIL-DISPERSANT HELICOPTER.

♪♪

HE MUST LOAD THE FLYING SHIP WITH A 1-TON PAYLOAD --

THE WEIGHT OF A LOADED

HELICOPTER OIL-DISPERSANT TANK --

AND TAKE OFF.

♪♪

KENNETH HAS PROMISED KALEED

THAT THEY CAN REACH THE SPILL SITE

WITHIN A 15-MINUTE DEADLINE,

WHICH IS TWICE AS FAST

AS A CHOPPER'S PREP AND FLIGHT TIME.

-LET'S DO IT THEN. -EXCELLENT.

THAT'S ALL I WANT TO HEAR.

WHEN THEY GET TO THE SITE,

THE FLYING SHIP MUST CRUISE

DIRECTLY OVER THE STIMULATED SPILL,

AS IF DEPLOYING CHEMICAL DISPERSANTS.

Zulkurnain: WHAT WE INTEND TO LOOK AT TODAY

IS THAT THE AIRFISH 8 CREATE THE MINIMAL DISTURBANCE

ON THE OIL SLICK,

ON THE SEA WATER SURFACE.

Narrator: IF THE FLYING SHIP SPREADS THE SPILL,

KENNETH CAN SAY GOODBYE TO A POTENTIAL CONTRACT.

♪♪

Tan: IT'S NERVE-RACKING.

HOWEVER, I BELIEVE AIRFISH WILL BE ABLE TO PERFORM

AND LIVE UP TO ITS EXPECTATION.

Narrator: WHILE KALEED OVERSEES THE MARINE DEPARTMENT TEAM...

♪♪

...KENNETH PREPS THE FLYING SHIP

FOR THE FIRST STAGE OF THE CHALLENGE.

OKAY, GUYS.

LOAD UP.

HE HAS TO FLY WITH AN EXTRA 1-TON PAYLOAD,

THE SAME WEIGHT AS A FULL LOAD OF OIL DISPERSANT.

THIS IS A LEAP INTO THE UNKNOWN.

HE'S NEVER FLOWN WITH THIS MUCH WEIGHT BEFORE.

♪♪

WELL, IT'S LIKE THIS -- THIS IS VERY HEAVY

TO SIMULATE THE FULL CONDITION OF 1 TON.

Narrator: LOADED WITH SAND BAGS AND SIX CREW MEMBERS,

THE FLYING SHIP IS UP TO THE RIGHT WEIGHT.

BUT NOW IT'S UNBALANCED.

♪♪

Tan: BALANCING LOAD DURING FLIGHT

IS VERY IMPORTANT

AS IT WILL AFFECT THE STABILITY OF ANY AIRCRAFTS.

Narrator: TO ACHIEVE STABILITY IN THE FLIGHT,

THE FLYING SHIP RELIES ON A COMPLEX SET OF MECHANISMS.

♪♪

IT MAKES USE OF ITS TWIN FUEL TANKS

THAT SIT ON EITHER SIDE OF THE CABIN.

♪♪

THE TWO SEGMENTED TANKS HOLD 65 GALLONS OF FUEL --

ENOUGH TO TRAVEL 300 MILES.

THE FUEL IS FED TO A HIGH-PRESSURE PUMP.

ITS PRIMARY JOB IS TO INJECT 20 GALLONS OF FUEL

INTO THE ENGINE EVERY HOUR.

[ RUMBLING ]

BUT THE PUMP CAN ALSO REDISTRIBUTE FUEL

BETWEEN THE TANKS,

ALTERING THE BALANCE OF THE CRAFT,

TO GIVE THE AIRFISH A STABLE RIDE,

NO MATTER HOW LOPSIDED THE LOAD.

THIS BALANCING ACT IS GREAT IN THEORY,

BUT THE FLYING SHIP'S NEVER BEEN TESTED LIKE THIS IN PRACTICE.

WILL IT LIVE UP TO SUCH HIGH EXPECTATIONS?

Narrator: HOPING TO SECURE A LUCRATIVE GOVERNMENT CONTRACT,

THIS ONE-OF-A-KIND FLYING SHIP IS PREPARING FOR A TEST RUN

IN COMBATING DANGEROUS OIL SPILLS.

♪♪

OIL SPILL TECHNICAL COORDINATOR KALEED

SETS UP THE SIMULATED SLICK.

HIS CREW INFLATES A HUGE, SEGMENTED HOSE,

KNOWN AS A BOOM,

AND DROPS IT INTO THE WATER.

Zulkurnain: YOU ALL CAN SEE THE BOOM THAT WE ARE USING IS

ACTUALLY USED IN A REAL SCENARIO.

IT'S THE REAL BOOM THAT IS DEPLOYED

FOR ACTUAL OIL SPILLS AT SEA.

Narrator: A SMALLER BOAT PULLS THE BOOM OUT ON THE WATER,

CREATING A HORSESHOE-SHAPED CONTAINMENT AREA

THE SIZE OF THREE OLYMPIC SWIMMING POOLS

TO HOLD THE OIL SPILL SIMULANT.

ONCE THE BOOM IS PERFECTLY DEPLOYED,

KALEED MUST CREATE THE SIMULATED SPILL.

HE'S USING A SURPRISING INGREDIENT --

POPCORN.

POPCORN HAS THE ALMOST IDENTICAL CHARACTERISTICS

TO AN OIL SLICK

WHEN IT INTERACTS WITH THE WATER,

AND MOST IMPORTANT, IT IS BIODEGRADABLE.

♪♪

Narrator: THIS NATURAL MATERIAL WILL ALSO SHOW WHETHER

THE FLYING SHIP COULD BE DEPLOYED OVER AN OIL SPILL

WITHOUT SPREADING THE OIL FURTHER.

WHEN THE AIRFISH 8 FLIES OVER THE POPCORN,

ANY ENERGY OR DOWNWASH CREATED WILL DISPERSE THE POPCORN.

Narrator: WITH THE BOOM IN POSITION,

THEY DEPLOY THE POPCORN.

[ INDISTINCT CHATTER ]

♪♪

IT SPREADS TO FORM LARGE STREAKS IN THE WATER.

BUT THE WIND AND WAVES GATHER IT TOGETHER

AT THE APEX OF THE BOOM,

JUST LIKE SPILLED OIL,

CREATING A TIGHTLY-PACKED SLICK THE SIZE OF A TENNIS COURT.

-OKAY, SIR! -LAST POPCORN.

-OVERBOARD! -OKAY.

[ LAUGHTER ]

Narrator: WITH THE SLICK PERFECTLY CONTAINED

INSIDE THE BOOM,

THE STAGE IS SET.

BUT TO FLY OVER A SLICK THIS SMALL

WILL REQUIRE PINPOINT ACCURACY.

AIRFISH, OIL CONTROL.

AIRFISH, OIL CONTROL.

OVER.

ZULKURNAIN: Airfish 8, this is oil control.

READY FOR TEST.

WE ARE MOVING OUT NOW.

[ WALKIE TALKIE CHIRPS ]

Narrator: THE FLYING SHIP

HAS JUST 15 MINUTES TO GET TO THE SITE,

BUT WITH HIS UNTESTED PAYLOAD,

KENNETH WON'T KNOW FOR SURE

IF THEY'LL EVEN BE ABLE TO TAKE OFF.

♪♪

WE ARE READY FOR TAKEOFF.

POWERING UP.

HE PUNCHES THE THROTTLE.

THIS IS THE HEAVIEST PAYLOAD THE FLYING SHIP HAS EVER CARRIED.

♪♪

IF THEY CAN'T TAKE OFF, THEY WILL FAIL.

♪♪

IT'S NOT LOOKING GOOD.

♪♪

BUT THEN...

♪♪

YES!

Narrator: ...LIFTOFF.

THE FIRST CHALLENGE IS COMPLETE.

TWO MORE TO GO.

-BALANCING THE FUEL NOW. -BALANCING FUEL.

Narrator: CAPTAIN SYED ADJUSTS THE BALANCE

OF THE FULLY-LOADED CRAFT ONE LAST TIME

AND INCREASES THE SPEED.

THEY HAVE JUST 12 MINUTES LEFT TO GET TO THE TEST SITE.

BUT THE FASTER THE CRAFT MOVES ABOVE THE OCEAN SURFACE,

THE MORE NOSE LIFT IT GENERATES,

AND A RISING NOSE CAN BE A DANGEROUS THING

FOR VESSELS THAT MOVE QUICKLY OVER THE WATER.

♪♪

JUST ASK THE SKIPPERS OF POWER BOATS LIKE THESE.

POWER BOATS USE A COMBINATION OF BRUTE FORCE

AND STREAMLINED AERODYNAMICS TO RIDE AT 200 MILES PER HOUR.

♪♪

BUT WHEN THEY PUSH TOO HARD,

OR A ROGUE GUST OF WIND HITS,

THE RESULTS CAN BE CATASTROPHIC.

♪♪

SPEED INCREASING. 75 KNOT.

RPM 55.

SO, THE FLYING SHIP MUST QUICKLY COUNTERACT

ITS NATURALLY-RISING NOSE TO PREVENT ITSELF FROM FLIPPING.

WE ARE CRUISING 75 KNOTS.

♪♪

WHEN THE PILOT NEEDS TO STOP THE NOSE FROM RISING,

HE MANIPULATES THE CONTROL STICK.

THIS PULLS ON A STEEL CABLE THAT RUNS THROUGH A SET OF PULLEYS,

50 FEET THROUGH THE LENGTH OF THE SHIP,

TO THE ENORMOUS 33-FOOT-WIDE TAIL.

THE CABLE ATTACHES TO THE BROAD TAIL FLAP,

PULLING IT DOWN,

AND FORCING THE REAR OF THE FLYING SHIP UP.

THIS COUNTERACTS THE RISING NOSE

AND LEVELS THE VESSEL.

WITH ITS OVERSIZED TAIL FLAP,

THE PILOT CAN PUSH THE SHIP TO THE LIMIT

WITHOUT FEAR OF FLIPPING.

♪♪

WE ARE SLIGHTLY HIGH.

LOWERING THE NOSE.

THE FLYING SHIP RACES AT CLOSE TO 100 MILES PER HOUR

TO HIT KENNETH'S 15-MINUTE INTERCEPT DEADLINE.

♪♪

WAIT. WHAT IS THAT? WHAT IS THAT?

THEY MAKE IT TO THE SITE WITH JUST THREE MINUTES TO SPARE.

AN OIL-RESPONSE HELICOPTER WOULD STILL BE ON THE GROUND,

RUNNING CHECKS.

THERE, THERE, THERE.

EXCELLENT. THE AIRFISH 8.

♪♪

Narrator: KALEED IS IMPRESSED.

KENNETH HAS PROVED THAT THE FLYING SHIP

CAN CARRY THE NECESSARY LOAD AND GET TO THE SCENE QUICKLY.

BUT NONE OF THAT MATTERS IF IT FAILS THE ULTIMATE TEST

WHEN IT FLIES OVER THE SLICK.

POWER, BRING BACK TO 6,000.

IF THE SHIP'S UNDER-WING AIR CUSHION

SENDS THE POPCORN FLYING,

ALL KENNETH'S WORK WILL BE FOR NOTHING.

THE APPROACH ANGLE IS PRETTY SHARP.

UGH!

Narrator: THE REVOLUTIONARY FLYING SHIP HAS IMPRESSED

THE MALAYSIAN MARINE DEPARTMENT,

PROVING THAT IT CAN FLY FAST

WITH A MASSIVE 1-TON PAYLOAD.

SPEED INCREASING TO 75 KNOT.

BUT THE FINAL PART OF THE TEST IS A LEAP INTO THE UNKNOWN.

THIS IS THE TIME THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY CONSIDER HER,

WHETHER SHE'S FEASIBLE TO BE UTILIZED

FOR THE MARINE DEPARTMENT.

Narrator: CAPTAIN KALEED NEEDS TO KNOW IF THE FLYING SHIP

CAN CRUISE OVER THE SIMULATED SLICK

WITHOUT SENDING THE POPCORN OIL SPILL FLYING.

♪♪

A POTENTIALLY-LUCRATIVE GOVERNMENT CONTRACT

COULD REST ON THE NEXT CRITICAL MINUTE.

POWER 5,500.

BUT WITH THE FLYING SHIP APPROACHING

AT CLOSE TO 100 MILES PER HOUR,

THE AIRFISH'S REPUTATION ISN'T THE ONLY THING ON THE LINE.

♪♪

AS THE TUGBOATS LINE UP THE OIL BOOM

IN A HORSESHOE SHAPE,

THE FLYING SHIP NEEDS TO FLY DIRECTLY OVER THE SPILL

AND STILL KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE BOATS.

♪♪

BUT THE BOATS AND BOOM ARE MOVING AROUND IN THE CURRENT,

AND KENNETH HAS NO WAY OF PREDICTING

WHICH WAY THEY WILL DRIFT,

SO THIS TEST COULD END IN DISASTER.

♪♪

THIS MEANS THE FLYING SHIP'S FINAL APPROACH

MUST BE ABSOLUTELY PERFECT.

THE AIRFISH 8 WILL HAVE TO CONTROL THE ANGLE

AT WHICH IT CROSSES THE CONTAINMENT AREA.

CAPTAIN SYED LINES UP THE FLYING SHIP FOR ITS CRUCIAL PASS.

55.

75 KNOTS.

STAND BY.

BUT THE STRONG CURRENT HAS PUSHED THE BOATS TOGETHER

AND NARROWED THE TARGET AREA EVEN MORE.

♪♪

THERE'S NO ROOM FOR ERROR.

A MISTAKE COULD EVEN PROVE FATAL.

♪♪

COMING UP. STAND BY.

ON HEADING.

THEY'VE MISSED.

NERVOUS OF HITTING ONE OF THE BOATS,

CAPTAIN SYED STEERS THE CRAFT JUST WIDE OF THE TARGET.

THE FLYING SHIP HAS TO MAKE A SECOND ATTEMPT.

LOOKING AT THE CURRENT CONDITION,

SHE WILL HAVE TO MAKE A VERY SHARP TURN.

WITH THE COASTLINE LOOMING, THE TURN WILL BE HARD.

TURNING LEFT. ROLLING TO THE LEFT.

ROLLING.

BUT TURNING SHARPLY AT 90 MILES PER HOUR IS FAR FROM EASY.

THIS CRAFT IS OPTIMIZED FOR EXTREME FLIGHT.

THE TWIN VERTICAL RUDDERS EACH TOWER 6-1/2-FEET TALL.

FOR MAXIMUM TURNING FORCE,

REINFORCED ALUMINUM FINS ON THE WINGLETS WORK

WITH THE TAIL RUDDERS FOR FAST CHANGES IN DIRECTION.

♪♪

50 FEET OF HIGH-TENSILE STEEL CABLES CREATE

A SECURE, RESPONSIVE LINK

TO DUAL CONTROL STICKS IN THE COCKPIT...

♪♪

...SO THE PILOT CAN MANEUVER THE FLYING SHIP

THROUGH THE TIGHTEST OF BENDS.

THE FLYING SHIP IS MAKING THE TURN,

BUT THE SHARP ANGLE HAS PUT

THE INSIDE WING

DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE WATER.

IN AN AIRPLANE, STRIKING THE WAVES AT THIS HIGH SPEED

WOULD BE FATAL,

BUT THE FLYING SHIP HAS THE ULTIMATE SELF-RIGHTING SYSTEM.

AND AS A BACKUP, THE GIANT FLOATS,

KNOWN AS SPONSONS,

ALSO ABSORB ANY IMPACTS WITH THE WATER.

SPECS LOOK GOOD.

♪♪

THEY COMPLETE THE TURN,

AND THEY'RE BACK ON TRACK.

THE AIRFISH 8 IS CURRENTLY APPROACHING

AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE CONTAINMENT AREA.

BACK TO LEVEL FLIGHT. SPEED 75 KNOT.

TEMPERATURE PRESSURE SAYS NORMAL.

Narrator: THIS TIME,

THEY'RE FLYING ON THE PERFECT LINE.

13 YEARS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DEVELOPMENT

COULD ALL RIDE ON THIS SINGLE MOMENT.

♪♪

Narrator: IN MALAYSIA,

ENGINEER AND BUSINESSMAN KENNETH TAN

IS TAKING 13 YEARS

AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DEVELOPMENT

ON THIS FLIGHT.

HE WANTS TO PROVE THAT HIS FLYING SHIP

CAN COMBAT OIL SPILLS,

ALL WITHOUT DISPERSING THE SLICKS

FURTHER INTO THE WATER.

STANDBY.

THE APPROACH ANGLE IS PRETTY SHARP.

♪♪

STRAIGHT LEVEL.

SYED GETS HIS ANGLES JUST RIGHT...

♪♪

...AND CRUISES STRAIGHT OVER THE TARGET.

-YEEEAH! -YES!

♪♪

Narrator: TO EVERYONE'S RELIEF, THE FLYING SHIP DOESN'T RAISE

SO MUCH AS A RIPPLE ON THE WATER.

Zulkurnain: EXCELLENT.

THERE WAS CLOSE TO ZERO

ENERGY TRANSFER TO THE POPCORN AREA.

YES!

Narrator: THIS TEST SHOWS THAT

IN A REAL SPILL SITUATION,

THE FLYING SHIP COULD DEPLOY OIL DISPERSANTS ONTO A SLICK

WITHOUT BREAKING IT UP.

ANY DOUBTS THE TEAM ARE GONE.

♪♪

YES!

♪♪

Tan: THE SPACE THAT WE ARE

SUPPOSED TO FLY THROUGH

WAS SIGNIFICANTLY NARROWER THAN WHAT WE THOUGHT.

DO ANOTHER ONE.

KENNETH'S ENDURING FAITH IN THIS UNIQUE CRAFT

IS PAYING OFF.

YES!

IT'S A MOMENT FOR CELEBRATION.

THIS SUCCESS COULD RESULT IN

A LUCRATIVE GOVERNMENT CONTRACT FOR THE FLYING SHIP.

Tan: WE HAVE DONE IT!

WE HAVE SHOWN KALEED WHAT WE CAN DO.

WE SENT THE AIRFISH 8 TO SOME TOUGH CHALLENGES,

BUT IT PROVED TODAY, WITHOUT DOUBT,

THAT IT COULD HANDLE EVERYTHING THAT WAS THROWN AT IT.

I'M VERY, VERY PROUD THAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED

THESE KIND OF RESULTS.

♪♪

Narrator: THE INCREDIBLE FLYING SHIP

TURNS EVERYDAY OCEAN TRANSPORT ON ITS HEAD,

PROVING THAT IT CAN MOVE FASTER...

WE ARE TRAVELING ABOUT CLOSE TO 90 MILES PER HOUR.

...CARRY HEAVY PAYLOADS,

AND EVEN CLEAR UP ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTERS.

YES!

IT'S ALL THANKS TO A V-8 POWERHOUSE,

REVERSE DELTA WINGS THAT GATHER UP AIR,

PROPELLERS THAT SPIN AT MORE THAN 1,000 RPM,

AND A STEPPED DUAL HULL

THAT HELPS THIS MACHINE CONQUER BOTH SEA AND AIR.

IT'S THESE TECHNOLOGICAL SECRETS

THAT HAVE HELPED THE FLYING SHIP EVOLVE TO BECOME...

A MEGA MACHINE.