Airship, Blimp, Zepplein?

Question

What is it that I will need to make a small blimp, it's not like the Hindenburg, I want it to be small- maybe enough to hold 2 or 3 people. Any information would be most appreciated

Answer 1

Even though you want an airship to only carry two people, it will still have to be fairly large. Look at the size of  a balloon that only has to carry a couple of passengers plus the burner. You would also need to have a large support structure to build the framework. Probably you would be happier with a home built airplane. You would still have to a pilots license to fly an airship.

Answer 2

I admire your ambition. But a two person home-made kit airplane would be more realistic here. A Zeppelin is built with a rigid steel, or aluminum frame. A Blimp is smaller, and does not have an internal frame. Either way, both vehicles are simple in appearance. But these are not vehicles that ordinary individuals can build or maintain. In all honesty, these devices, both past and present, are never the result of one person. The theory, physics, and expense, requires the collective ambitions  and knowledge of a dedicated committee. Anyway, where would you keep such a thing?

Answer 3

Unless you have a lot of money to spend, you should probably consider building a radio-controlled airship or a manned hot air balloon instead. If the financial requirements do not deter you, a book called "Building Gas Blimps - A Practical Guide to Building Small Gas Blimps" by Robert J. Recks will provide you with more detail. The book is available for approximately US$80 directly from the author (e-mail [e-mail]).

Also Read this: http://www.sddc.army.mil/sddc/Content/Pu...

And this: http://www.firstpr.com.au/blimp/

And then this: http://www.amazon.com/Airship-Technology...

That should get you started. Good luck. Have fun dreaming if not really doing.

Answer 4

a.)An airframe with a moveable 4-element rudder/flaps in the tail with the approriate control linkage leading to the pilot's position.

b.)Some airtight covering for that airframe.

c.)Some kind of means of propulsion. Be it a weed-eater motor with a propeller on it and control cables/switch leading to pilot's position or a human-powered pedal-driven prop. (or two).

d.)Some sort of part on that airframe to carry 2 or 3 people and mount pilot's controls on.

e.) A way to vent (release the lighter than air gas) from the covering on that airframe in a controlled manner for descent.

f.)Mooring points on the airframe. (Suck if it got away, wouldn't it?? )

g.) Some sort of ballast to keep the craft level when in flight. (flying upside-down can get to be a real drag.).

The thing is I don't know the exact SIZE/shape that airframe and covering would have to be.

Suggest you study the construction of some dirigibles and see if you can't come up with a smaller scale vversion.

Answer 5

The first thing you need is an education including aircraft engineering, metallurgy and other material's sciences, and likely welding.  You'll need to learn how to make a gas bag that will hold your lifting gas (use helium...hydrogen seems to have some disadvantages).

You may seriously consider watching the "Mythbusters" episode where they make mockups of the Hindenburg and set them on fire.

During the construction of the device, you may need special permits or licenses.  Once you are ready to fly it, you need two VERY important things...

1. A qualified pilot

2. REALLY good medical insurance.

Answer 6

The first thing you will need is the facilities in which to build your airship.  To carry three people plus fuel, your ship will have to have a useful load of at least 1,000 pounds, which means it will have to be a minimum of about 120 feet long and about 25 feet high.  So you will need the use of a building large enough to hold that, with a door at one end.

Machine shops and facilities for handling electronic components, storing and handling lifting gas, and maintaining the engines will also need to be near at hand.

Many of the basic design characteristics will be determined by the FAA technical section, which will supervise the construction of your airship as an experimental aircraft.  Examples will include the legal requirement that the lifting gas be non-flammable (helium) and that the fabric for the gas bag be of a certain type and the seams be bonded according to their requirements.

They will also need to approve of the overall design and the workmanship of every assembly and fitting.  You will require either the personal knowledge of all the materials technology and assembly techniques, or the money to hire experts as needed along the way.

So the first subject you need to study might be accounting, before engineering or welding.

It's a free country, but you should not feel free to build something hazardous.  The FAA will make sure you don't.

Finally, before you fly your airship, the FAA will require you to have an airship rating on your certificate.

So it can be done, but it will not be easy.  Have fun!

Answer 7

You can follow the example of the guy in CA.

Get a bunch of large weather ballons and fill with He, and attach them to a yard chair (or bench since you want to have 2ppl), grab a 12 pack and a bb gun to control altitude.

Just make sure that you contact the FAA first, they not to keen on you floating up to 15,000 ' in the final approach to landing at the local metro airport.