The insane plan to convert dead airliners into hydrofoils [Recycle]

Instead of putting old airliners out to pasture to rot in some cockroach corner, Hydro Lance wants to substitute pontoons for wings, and blast those Boeing 727s across the high seas. The company says it'll cost about million to buy one of the decommissioned jets, and then once things get rolling, an additional million to convert it to one of these jet-propelled ferries that can go 161mph.

It all sounds so simple. The idea is to leave the three engines located near the tail section intact, and use the existing cargo areas and seating for passengers, and use the existing cockpit controls to steer this seafaring rocket full of passengers on a 'glass smooth' ride from here to there. How will these flightless jets skim across the waves? Why, they'll use the company's HARTH float pontoons, of course. Insert miracle here.

The company's not saying anything about how those jet engines would react to ingesting salt water. If they would've had a fleet of these ready last week, those poor souls marooned by the volcano would've had a great way to escape their predicament.

[DVICE via Hydro Lance via Jalopnik]