highly maneuverable hot-air "jet" ?

I was doing some thinking and wondering if one has ever been attempted? It could have wings etc. for the ability to change directions quickly.. and it could hover like a helicopter, for VTOL, yet be somewhat shaped like a traditional jet, or a blended wing style, thus giving it speed and maneuverability

has any research been done on this ? who says a hot air lifted vehicle be a balloon? Also coulden't the hot air be super-heated to allow for a smaller sized air pocket?

Rosie O'Donnel is supposed to travel around in a really cool blimp that has been recently designed. From what I saw of the news footage it had an almost dual hull design where there was a groove down the middle of the balloon, perhaps for decreased wind-resistance?

It also had what looked like an extremely large cabin, robust propeller engines and large stabilizing fins towards the back. From what I heard it had been designed recently and may represent the future in LTA travel.

As an aside, with you mentioning lighter then air craft with the addition of wings I can't help but point you in the direction of The Hoverwing.

www.hovercraft.com...

While it is not really a lighter then air craf it does combine large wings with the ground effect to produce a really cool machine that can fly over a wide variety of terrain.

Originally posted by acura_el2000
I was doing some thinking and wondering if one has ever been attempted? It could have wings etc. for the ability to change directions quickly.. and it could hover like a helicopter, for VTOL, yet be somewhat shaped like a traditional jet, or a blended wing style, thus giving it speed and maneuverability

has any research been done on this ? who says a hot air lifted vehicle be a balloon? Also coulden't the hot air be super-heated to allow for a smaller sized air pocket?

Problem is, a balloon creates lift by air displaced (like a boat displacing so many tonnes of water).

Thing is, if you attempted to create that volume using traditional aircraft structures, the end result would be far too heavy and never lift off.



I suppose the nearest thing to what your suggesting is an airship (which does contain supporting structures within the 'balloon'), or maybe a dirigible (which doesn't).

well It would be more like a hybrid of the two, small enough wings that they barely create lift, but big enough to direct air for turning & climbing. ideally the air would have a sustainable way to heat and cool rapidly, allowing for up and down maneuvers...

also like I said, superheated air, so that it can "float" with less air volume then a traditional balloon, am I wrong to think hotter air will provide more lift?

Originally posted by acura_el2000
also like I said, superheated air, so that it can "float" with less air volume then a traditional balloon, am I wrong to think hotter air will provide more lift?

There are three critical questions that would present problems. Unfortunately, if the 3 answers were straightforward it would already be commonplace.


How do you propose keeping the heat in?

How do you propose keeping the weight of materials that can contain air at that temperature in?

What heat source do you propose for providing the heat?