Posted on 10/09/2007 7:46:20 PM PDT by Reaganesque
October 8, 2007 It’s as big as a superyacht, and not quite as fast as a supercar but it does have a range of over 3000 miles and can do it over land, sea or snow, lingering anywhere you like the view. A new category of aircraft that fits somewhere in between a blimp, airship or dirigible, the Aeroscraft ML866 project was recently presented at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) show in Atlanta, Georgia. The key factor of the ML866 design is that it offers superyacht size and comfort in a platform that can operate independently from airports, meaning that a new class of luxury conveyance is about to become available which appears to trump them all.
Based on concepts developed for the (now apparently shelved) US Army Heavy Lift “Project Walrus”, the Aeroscraft ML866 has some remarkable capabilities not available in other aircraft - it is incredibly spacious offering a cabin area of 5,382 square ft (500 square metres), boasts low operating costs, has all-weather capabilities, vertical takeoff and landing and extended range along with its ability to hover for long periods, meaning it can be utilized for a range of different applications from a private air yacht to a business office (even offering conferencing facilities catering for 100 people) in the sky or for commuting, freight solutions and sightseeing.
The Aeroscraft ML866 is a buoyancy assisted air vehicle with a rigid structure and gas cells. It uses Aeros’ proprietary Full Authority Direct Organic Lift Control (FADOLC) - a dynamic buoyancy management system that provides the low speed control capability. While 70% of the aerodynamic lift comes from helium, the remaining 30% is derived from its innovative “wing” shape. As well as being able to hover the aircraft will be capable of speeds up to 138 mph (0-222 kmh) and will operate at altitudes of up to 12,000 ft (3,657 m). and the massive 210 ft (64 m) long by 118 ft (36 m) wide by 56 ft (17 m) high structure will deliver a roomy 5000+ square feet of cabin space.
Aeros displayed a 1/48th scale model at this year’s NBAA show and hopes to begin airframe static testing of the rigid composite structure within months, with flight testing at the San Bernadino International Airport to follow as early as 2010. An additional series of commercially focussed Aeroscraft is also on the drawing board and will be scaled to payloads of up to 60 tons.
No exact pricing details are available as yet but reports suggest the tag will be under $40 million.
It won't be flying over any storms at that altitude.
Solar radiation will be negligible; like spending a day in the mountains.
The skin was also flammable.
Canvas dope consisting of methyl cellulose and aluminum powder.
I've got a bridge to sell you. Seriously they're going to knock it down and my cousin is in charge of selling the scrap. You can make a fortune. I'd do it myself but my capital is tied up clearing up an international banking problem for the president of Nigeria.
Anyhow this airship can land in a hurricane. It's not like there is any history of problems with airships and bad weather.
I’ll take two. One for home and one for the vacation cabin.
Cool, just think of the savings for NFL season tickets... Practically pays for itself!
Even better, reroute some of the helium into the ventilation system for a neat practical joke on your friends!
Oh man! I loved Thunderbird 2. And here I thought I was the only one. Thanks for the flashback.
Way cool.
Now picture twin blimps held together by a rigid frame, then 50 twins at 1000’ intervals, all the way up to the tropopause(50,000). Tether line is power/lightning line as well as elevator cable. It would be a model for the Space Elevator. It could be tethered anywhere. Wear your space suit when you go to the TOP OF THE WORLD.
What I ordered was along the lines of (Gerry Anderson's) Supercar or Heinlein's Gay Deciever, and THIS is what they hand me.
They better not be expecting me to pay them.
Cool stuff!
I saw a documentary which posited that it was not the H2, but rather, the rubber and aluminum which was used to coat the fabric skin. Rubber and aluminum are the fuel used in the shuttle's solid rocket boosters
A pair of promoted guided missile cruisers usually does the trick.
The Hindenburg burned because someone in Germany screwed up when they doped the skin - badly.
The Hindenburg burned because we would not sell Helium to Germany..
Considering we could have limited what we sold and not sold any more if a conflict arose..This is one time when we were definitely wrong. A great concept, Airships as a means of transportation and cargo transport has yet to recover..
W
Good enough place to bump this thread. I love dirigibles. Going on a cruise would be a blast.
This month there was an article in Popular Science about building your own blimp. “Only” costs $500k.
I can see the USS Macon’s original hangar at Moffett Field from my house.
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/ac-usn22/z-types/zrs5-l.htm
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