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A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.
-Robert A. Heinlein
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Dan Boone wrote:Chris, how about hot air? Buckminster Fuller figured out a long time ago that if you build a geodesic sphere large enough, solar heating of the air inside will be enough to make it fly. No exotic or flammable lifting gasses needed.
When I began the Forum Article (I wondered if it would be an appropriate article for this site and might indeed be moved) It was about showing the whirling exhaust fumes coming from the Jet engines back in the 70's - of how it use to be back then - and now the possible use of electric engines on Aircraft seems to be the future .
"The Quote above" is about the possible use of Sun heating the air inside of a sphere - and using that as the lifting medium.
It so happens that back in the 70's I too experimented with Solar energy.. building a large tetrahedron out of black polythene.. It worked. I looked through some boxes in the garage for some photos and info of the experimental Solar Balloon I built.
It appeared in Newspaper reports and some Aviation magazines.
Cannot believe those were the shorts we wore back then.
![[Thumbnail for Solar-001-(Copy).jpg]](/t/116120/a/80970/Solar-001-(Copy).jpg "Filename: Solar-001-(Copy).jpg
Description: Solar Balloon")
![[Thumbnail for Solar-Balloon-002-(Copy).jpg]](/t/116120/a/80971/Solar-Balloon-002-(Copy).jpg "Filename: Solar-Balloon-002-(Copy).jpg
Description: Newspaper")
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Chris Kott wrote:
Imagine such a behemoth powered only by the sun. And no deafening ocean life with giant engines and prop noise.
Idle dreamer
Dan Boone wrote:Chris, how about hot air? Buckminster Fuller figured out a long time ago that if you build a geodesic sphere large enough, solar heating of the air inside will be enough to make it fly. No exotic or flammable lifting gasses needed. There's a nice article here. We know Buckie's domes work; there's no reason to think his very large sphere designs would not.
Steering them, now? That might be another engineering challenge. I'm no engineer, but I figure if you wodge a few of them onto a sufficiently robust spar, dangle a bunch of pusher props below the spar, bung solar panels all over the place to feed the pusher props, and turn the top of the spar into a big promenade, you've got yourself one heck of a dirigible. If your domes are big enough, you essentially don't have a mass limitation on your design. See the world!
Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin might start spinning in his grave so fast that he autorotates right up into the sky to join the crew, but would that be so bad?
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.
-Robert A. Heinlein
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"Study books and observe nature; if they do not agree, throw away the books." ~ William A. Albrecht
Mark Silvert wrote:Thanks for posting this info. I just want to let you know that I just check out your site and I find it very interesting and informative. I can't wait to read lots of your posts
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