By F. Weston Starratt, P.E.

So, goes the thinking of John Glover, Director of Strategic Planning for the Port of Oakland, which operates the Oakland International Airport.

Wouldn’t it be nice if passengers could connect to our flights by high-speed ferries from various points around the bay, including the new San Francisco Ferry Terminal where long range plans call for ferry service to at least the San Francisco International Airport (SFO)?

Wouldn’t it be great if air cargo could be moved by ferry to and from downtown San Francisco and various points in Silicon Valley to waiting flights at Oakland Airport?

Another thought not mentioned, but being considered in some quarters … wouldn’t it be wonderful if SFO and Oakland Airport could be operated as a single entity, or, at least, with a high degree of coordination between the two? That could be achieved with frequent, high-speed passenger ferry service connecting the two airports, and could take some of the immediate pressure off the need for new runways at SFO.

Just recently, Southwest Air moved its flights out of SFO, probably because of frequent delays, and transferred all of its operations to Oakland. With a connecting high-speed ferry, Southwest could effectively operate out of both airports, with passengers checking into SFO and being whisked across the bay to Oakland by high-speed ferry. Why not?

At least for the next few years, Oakland has excess runway capacity. San Francisco does not. It would seem that the excess runway capacity in Oakland could be put to good use if the two airports were operated as a unit. Great idea? Maybe, but for every great idea there are problems to be solved. In this case, the number one problem probably would be the politics between competing airports.

The Shallow South Bay

There are other problems to be resolved for the establishment of ferry service to South Bay airports. Chief among them is the shallow water of the South Bay. Glover estimates that the water depth adjacent to the airports is only two or three feet, which is substantially less than the seven feet required by catamarans. Thus, dredging would be necessary.

But, take a look at the map. Oakland Airport is located on Bay Farm Island. The Harbor Bay ferry terminal is also located on Bay Farm Island, not more than a mile from the end of the airport runway. San Francisco to Harbor Bay ferry service has been operating high-speed catamarin ferries since 1992. It would certainly appear that ferry passengers could be transferred from Harbor Bay for the short ride to the airport by bus.

The transfer from ferry to bus would require extra time and not be as convenient as if the ferry could tie up right at the airport terminal. So, perhaps the only way that passengers and air cargo could reach Oakland Airport without taking two modes of transportation would be with an amphibious craft that could travel on shallow water and onto land.

Amphibious Hovercraft, A Solution?

One solution being studied for ferries to reach both Oakland and San Francisco airports is the use of amphibious hovercraft capable of operating both in shallow water and on land. These craft, also called air cushion vehicles (ACVs), operate on fan-generated cushions of air and are moved by variable pitch propellers. They are capable of high speeds and of moving across taxiways right up to passenger and air cargo terminals. But, for years, they have been considered temperamental vessels with high operating costs. In addition, there are the high noise levels generated by these craft. Efforts are being made to improve performance and reduce noise levels, but whether or not they will succeed is open to question.

Even if high noise levels persist, one solution would be to operate the amphibious hovercraft in areas where noise is not an issue, such as airports, which are noisy places to begin with. However, their operation would have to be restricted to such locations and could not be permitted in areas where noise could be a problem, such as the San Francisco Ferry Terminal.

There are additional considerations of significance to the operation of hovercraft in San Francisco Bay. They include high fuel consumption and hence high emission levels of the diesel engines used to provide the air cushion and also to power these craft. Finally, there is also the environmental impact of the operation of hovercraft on the ecosystems of the shallow waters of the South Bay.

They Worked for the Canadian Coast Guard

The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) has, for years, operated amphibious hovercraft at Vancouver International Airport; so, both the Port of Oakland and the Airport Commission of the City and County of San Francisco sent Anthony Bruzzoni of Pacific Transit Management Corporation to investigate the operation.

He reported that the CCG was so impressed with its British-built hovercraft after a decade of service that it introduced two additional larger craft to be used not only for search-and-rescue operations, but also for dealing with oil spills, ice breaking and recovering navigational buoys. CCG’s Dash 400 hovercraft, measuring 40 by 100 ft, has a cruising speed of 45 knots and a maximum speed of 60 knots, with a carrying capacity of almost 30 tons. After a demonstration by the CCG, Bruzzoni concluded that the craft is "a proven reliable vessel which has substantial flexibility due to its amphibious qualities. The vessel would be appropriate for use either in cargo operations or in passenger service." However, in an interview with Bruzzoni, it was noted that noise was not a problem for the CCG, which had even removed mufflers and noise suppressors on these craft had so that they could be readily heard in search and rescue operations. Those craft were also operating in deeper waters than are to be found at the south end of San Francisco Bay.

For Oakland, the Thrust is Air Cargo

For Oakland International Airport, air cargo is a major factor and even comes before passenger service when it comes to planning ferry service. With FedEx, UPS, Airbourne, Emery Airfreight, and BAX Cargo operations, the airport is the largest operator of air cargo service in the Bay Area. FedEx has been especially concerned with access to and from the South Bay, while UPS indicates that it considers the Bay Bridge Corridor to be a serious service concern. At SFO, international air cargo operations are also significant. So, Pacific Transit Management was engaged by both airports to study the feasibility of air cargo ferry service connecting the airports to downtown San Francisco and the former US Naval Air Station at Moffett Field adjacent to Silicon Valley in the South Bay.

It would seem that Redwood City might be a better South Bay location since there is already a port there with a dredged shipping channel. But, it is claimed that there is no space there for a freight consolidation facility, while there is ample space at Moffett Field.

A Downtown San Francisco Air Cargo Facility is being proposed for Piers 26/28, under the Bay Bridge, where, it is felt, that noise would not be major problem. From this facility, amphibious hovercraft service would operate to Oakland International Airport, primarily for UPS and FedEx.

The Moffett Field Air Cargo Facility would be located southeast of the runways as a freight forwarding site for international air cargo destined for shipment to and from SFO and probably Oakland as well.

And Passenger Ferry Service?

Passenger ferry service has yet to be studied seriously by either airport, and would be addressed in a later phase after the operation of the air cargo service has been demonstrated to be successful. Today, the attention is on hovercraft cargo service from San Francisco and the Silicon Valley to the two airports.

But Serious Problems Remain Unanswered

One problem to be resolved is the high level of noise produced by these craft. Improvements can probably be made, but it seems doubtful that the problem can be eliminated. It is the "nature of the beast," and its operation will probably be restricted to areas where noise is not a major issue.

Another problem may be the effect of the operation of these craft on the ecosystem of the shallow waters of the South Bay. And finally, there is also the emission problem involved in the use of high-powered diesel engines to power the hovercraft. All three issues — noise, environmental impact on the ecosystem, and diesel emissions — need to be addressed before serious consideration can be given to the operation of hovercraft in San Francisco Bay. None of these problems may be of great significance in the operation of hovercraft for search-and-rescue activities in the deep waters off of the Vancouver International Airport.