Air Cusion Track

Turn on the compressed air and see how easily the little cradle slides along the bar. But what happens when the air is turned off?

Air is ejected from a metal bar with many small holes. A small metal cradle can slide very easily because an air cushion forms between the cradle and the bar.

Air cushions are created by air currents ejected between an underlying surface and a vehicle, such as a hovercraft, a hyperloop train or a capsule pipeline. The air cushion minimises the friction between the vehicle and the underlying surface. This reduces the amount of energy used and allows the vehicle to reach high speeds.