Flarecraft now has 5 working prototypes and the author rode in one on Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay. This winter prototypes will be flying in Los Angeles, St. Louis, and Miami. The Russian Krylov Shipbuilding Institute in St. Petersburg has been working on Ventilated Water Jet Propulsion and Reducing Hull Friction by the use of Gas Cavities. The status of their research is given in a U.S. Navy Technology Newsletter . They are looking for U.S. Partners in the continuing development of the Ventilated Water Jet.
Gas is injected to water that is already moving through a jet due to the motion of the craft.
The air or gas expands and increases the exit velocity of the water. There are no moving parts interfacing with the water. The pressure of the gas regulates the speed of the craft. Development had reached the stages of both static and dynamic testing in the laboratory and they were hoping to soon develop a full size version for practical trials. The March 1995 issue of Smithsonian magazine had a very lengthy article which was also their cover feature.