Skyacht Personal Blimp

This video, from http://www.personalblimp.com/ , shows the first 360 degree turn made by the Skyacht Personal Blimp during its first series of flight tests on October 27, 2006. The aircraft is unique in that it is the first to have a tail-mounted steerable motor/propeller combined with hot air rather than helium for lift. This combination makes it the most maneuverable blimp ever built. Video copyright Skyacht Aircraft, Inc. available via Creative Commons 2.5 Attribution License.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• skyacht
• personal
• blimp
• airship
• vehicle
• flying
• aircraft
• hot
• air
• balloon

[1971SuperLead]

Why not use helium or hydrogen?

[skyacht]

@1971SuperLead - After each flight, the hot air is vented and the system folded into a tiny

volume for storage. Both helium and hydrogen are too expensive to vent after each flight.

So one must have a hangar for storing the ship and construct a much more expensive

gas-tight envelope to prevent leakage between flights. All of the above make them wildly

more expensive than hot air - not even counting the cost of the helium/hydrogen itself.

Also no buoyancy control makes them very hard to fly.

[drewboy108]

If it's hot air then it's in trouble, unless it has some way to pump in more hot air or reheat it, the air inside will eventually cool and then it's a pile of scrap

[skyacht]

@drewboy108 - Yes, we keep the air hot by burning propane, just like a hot air balloon. See our other video for a more thorough explanation.

[MaverickHunter75]

i would so use that everyday. flying to school..... ^_^

[busterpiggle]

Looks like something Professor Fate and Max would fly in "The Great Race".

[drewsisely]

@1971SuperLead Hydrogen, with enough turbulence detonates. Bad idea.

[parabounce]

Hi Skyyacht, we have a personal flying machine, filled with helium. Check us out please. Patabounce

[zeppship]

Thats not a non rigid blimp, thats a semi rigid thermal airship

[crimescene25]

@busterpiggle Sounds like you base your life off of the "great race"

[skeilak]

I can see the headline now...

"Redneck Held in Blimp Shooting"

Local redneck, Bobby Joe McFerrland, said this in his defense, "What ya'all 'spect me to do? I done seen this here big flyin' UFO thing, a'comin' straight fer me! I says to Billy Ray, git me ma gun, and I jes kept firin' until somethin' went ka-blooie, an' it come down, over thar. They kept hollerin' to stop shootin', but you gonna listen to some UFO aliens? Hell, no!"

[Jjames763]

@gguru1

Oh, sure. There are dozens flying. Lindstrand, Cameron, Gefa-flug, and some older companies all produce some. This is the only semi-rigid model in existence, though, and it solves a lot of problems, namely safety, speed, and noise. Well, it's not so speedy now, but Skyacht has hinted at a slimmer, faster ship.

[gguru1]

YES! A hot air dirigible seemed a no brainer to me, I'm shocked by how few people I've been able to find exploring this idea.

[davidrodgersNJ]

Very cool. What's the maximum wind speed you can fly it in?