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Honoring Alaska’s Hovercraft Pioneers This page is dedicated to the pioneers of Alaska hovernaughts. If you would like to add a statement or quote or someone that is not listed here that is related to hovercraft in the past, email us with the information and we will add them. |
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Hovercraft Pioneer Reggie Lord . . . July 7, 2008 Hovercraft Alaska is mourning the loss one of one of the original Hovercraft pioneers in America. Reggie Lord passed away on July 7, 2008, at 5:30 p.m., here in Anchorage, Alaska. Reggie began his hovercraft career along with the first manufacture of hovercraft in America, Alaska Hovercraft, Inc. Reggie learned the art, fell in love with hovercraft and went on to be one of the first unofficial hovercraft school students in the United States that was sponsored by Alaska Hovercraft in the 1970’s, now extinct. The USCG had, at the time, approved a certificate for an endorsement of hovercraft on an existing USCG license. The certificates were issued to 12 of the classmates and were limited. Hovercraft Alaska had gotten the USCG to honor these certificates as recently as 2006. Reggie never did get that endorsement. Reggie did fly his beloved 30’ Corsair hovercraft until sending it to Canada for a refit in the late 90’s, where it was going to be used on a trial run for sightseeing in the tourism business. Reggie recently had it returned to Anchorage where it sits alongside the first original Serial #1 prototype Corsair. His crafts have been purchased and will fly again in the waters of Southeast Alaska soon. Reggie was instrumental in kick-starting the transportation uses of hovercraft in Alaska for governmental and other uses. He educated many to the practical use of the hovercraft. Because of political reasons, hovercraft has never reached the goals he had planned for in Alaska. We at Hovercraft Alaska continue to pursue this goal. Reggie’s dream of the hovercraft playing a large role in the bush and other transportation has not come of age. Although his goals and his love of hovercraft venturing became reality with having his family enjoy many wonderful trips on rivers and sightseeing the glaciers of Alaska. His heart and soul radiated when the word hovercraft was brought up. For me to see Reggie’s spirit soar with enthusiasm was as if you were in his hovercraft flying over Alaska’s amphitheaters of beauty and serenity, as he was so uplifting exclaiming the wonders of his hovercrafts flying characteristics, he would quote it as “there is no way to explain the feeling of operating a hovercraft.” During his time pursuing the betterment of hovercraft he and a few others followed the goals of the original Alaska hovercraft operation, and perused another school; they called it simply “Hovercraft School.” After many hurdles it failed due to lack of funds. A couple of other ventures were tried, such as getting a start in the tourism trade, namely “Air Cushion Tours @ Hovercraft School Company.” Another try at promoting, led them to the bush as the Surface Skimmers Services, Inc. Hovercraft Alaska has possibly the most archived data and knowledge of hovercraft history in Alaska, and we welcome your input to help set the records straight and honor those in these historical events. May God bless you, Reggie Lord, and keep you Hovering in Heaven! Leave a seat open for me when my time comes, too. Amen! See more at HOVERCRAFT ALASKA |
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Retired Engineer James Patrick Purcell. . . April 22, 2004 Anchorage, Alaska; His family states: "Jim was a quiet, gentle man who made himself extra-ordinary by doing ordinary things I never got to meet this man personally, but I know in my heart he was a true hovernaught to have built his own dream of flying on the wind! Our staff at Hovercraft Alaska |
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Hank G Saylor. . . Anchorage, Alaska -- Alaska Hovercraft, and then ACT-1, became the first full production commercial manufacture in Alaska. Hank's work can be found on the Alaska hovercraft page in this site, click on the detailed info arrow. Hank was way ahead of his time with his hovercraft and there are still a lot of them today being resurrected or still flying. Thank you for your great innovations. - Our staff at Hovercraft Alaska |
Howard Harkness. . . Delta Junction, Alaska -- I have to say that when I talked to Howard about his love with hovercrafting, it was so intense you could feel his emotions of flying to places we could only dream of! - Our staff at Hovercraft Alaska |
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Leslie Maxwell. . . . Nov,1925 to April,2004
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Dee Anders. . . . to March 25, 2007 We all lost a close and dear friend of the hovercraft arena recently. Dee Anders - The Mother of Hover - passed away on Sunday, March 25 at her home in Tampa Florida. Please read about this most wonderful woman at our homebase Hovercraft Club Of America . . . Dear Dee, |
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Dee, resting her head on our Falcon 111, during her visit to Alaska.