Shield Hover
a maneuver which tests the shield integrity of a starship, the shield hover involves maintaining a starship's weight off the ground with nothing but its shields. The ship is first lifted by its repulsors, then the shields are activated. The landing gear is retracted, and the repulsors are then slowly cut off. If the shields hold, the ship then hovers above the ground. Good pilots are ready, in case the shields fail, to engage the repulsors and catch the ship before it crashes back to the ground. In some cases, either the forward or aft shield will go, while the other remains intact. This can cause the ship to bounce and flip over onto its topside, causing greater collateral damage.