…I mentioned in the recent past that I was working on a new board design.Let me tell you about it, as this will be the first public notice of this new revolutionary design. …I was approached by some skydiver/airboard buddies of mine to come up with something that would change the face of skydiving forever. They told me of a sail/airboard that was being used today that allowed the user some flight control.Some of you that have seen the new James Bond 007 movie has seen this.They wanted me to build them each one just like it,but they told me of the disposal of the board inorder to open the chute,not good,and the idea of lying down didn’t thrill me either.I have not seen the movie yet so I can only go by what I know,and what is told to me. On the other hand, you have airboarders(which most of these guys participate in),But to me it seems that it would get boring after a few jumps,and that spinning endlessly until you vomit was not very productive.There is some flight control in airboarding (not a whole lot,but some),but The up-side to it is you’re standing. So I am in the final stages of finishing the first Spitzer Sky plane.This has had alot of brains soaked in it,and has been re-hashed a few,in the last 6 months.With the help of my genius buddy Eddy, the nutty low pull champ John,and some real heavy wts. of the school of skydiving.I have come up with a plane board that you stand up on,strapped in like a airboard,and fly!!!The therory is to be able to fly this thing,like after taking a steep long dive,be able to re-gain height in a climb.Also another benny is; you won’t have to use you chute…(the chute is a emergency device,only) …YOU LAND IT LIKE A GLIDER!!!true flight at it’s best! …I think the Wright brothers would be proud…now to find a sucker…uh oh,a person to test it out on…don’t worry there’s a line-up to be first…if it works, the line will grow …if it fails…the line with most likely disappear,rapidly. …I need some input on a bottom material that is areodynamic,and tough as sh*t so when you land it won’t break-up on contact,I was going to try A thick formica,but I thought I pass this one by you guys first.Light wt. is most important!!!Believe me it can be done ,I know it can… it just takes the right stuff!!!CRAZY,HUH??? Genius is next to insanity.Herb
“Genius is next to insanity.Herb”…This would be you Herb, standing next to the first test pilot! Actually it sounds really cool. How about a replaceable Teflon skin on the bottom? Scott.
Genius is next to insanity.Herb \\ …Thanks Scott,I never really saw it in that light.I’ll keep the teflon in mind. …IF YOU WANT A REALLY,REALLY ROUGH LOOK AT THE DESIGN,FOLD-UP A PIECE OF PAPER ,LIKE ONE OF THOSE POINTY, PAPER AIRPLANES YOU BUILT IN GRADE SCHOOL.With a few extras,and alot of tweeking,that’s basically it. …JUST THINK OF THE MILITARY USES/PURPOSES,THE GOVERNMENT SAYS THE AIRBORNE IS OBSOLETE…NOT ANYMORE! ,THIS WILL CHANGE THE FACE OF THE FLIGHT FOREVER.Herb
…I mentioned in the recent past that I was working on a new board > design.Let me tell you about it, as this will be the first public notice > of this new revolutionary design.>>> …I was approached by some skydiver/airboard buddies of mine to come > up with something that would change the face of skydiving forever.>>> They told me of a sail/airboard that was being used today that allowed the > user some flight control.Some of you that have seen the new James Bond 007 > movie has seen this.They wanted me to build them each one just like it,but > they told me of the disposal of the board inorder to open the chute,not > good,and the idea of lying down didn’t thrill me either.I have not seen > the movie yet so I can only go by what I know,and what is told to me.>>> On the other hand, you have airboarders(which most of these guys > participate in),But to me it seems that it would get boring after a few > jumps,and that spinning endlessly until you vomit was not very > productive.There is some flight control in airboarding (not a whole > lot,but some),but The up-side to it is you’re standing.>>> So I am in the final stages of finishing the first Spitzer Sky plane.This > has had alot of brains soaked in it,and has been re-hashed a few,in the > last 6 months.With the help of my genius buddy Eddy, the nutty low pull > champ John,and some real heavy wts. of the school of skydiving.I have come > up with a plane board that you stand up on,strapped in like a airboard,and > fly!!!The therory is to be able to fly this thing,like after taking a > steep long dive,be able to re-gain height in a climb.Also another benny > is; you won’t have to use you chute…(the chute is a > emergency device,only)>>> …YOU LAND IT LIKE A GLIDER!!!true flight at it’s best!>>> …I think the Wright brothers would be proud…now to find a > sucker…uh oh,a person to test it out on…don’t worry there’s a > line-up to be first…if it works, the line will grow …if it > fails…the line with most likely disappear,rapidly.>>> …I need some input on a bottom material that is areodynamic,and > tough as sh*t so when you land it won’t break-up on contact,I was going to > try A thick formica,but I thought I pass this one by you guys first.Light > wt. is most important!!!Believe me it can be done ,I know it > can… it just takes the right stuff!!!CRAZY,HUH???>>> Genius is next to insanity.Herb Herb if you are really serious about this thing you need to get with the outfits that do aircraft composite work.The “high tech” molded stuff that we talk about around here is nothing compared to what the flyboys are doing.Long Beach California is a good place to start.There is somebody around this site that is an areonautical engineer but I can’t remember who it is.Just make sure that it has a cool lam on it or it or it will go bust in todays market…R.B.
Herb if you are really serious about this thing you need to get with the > outfits that do aircraft composite work.The “high tech” molded > stuff that we talk about around here is nothing compared to what the > flyboys are doing.Long Beach California is a good place to start.There is > somebody around this site that is an areonautical engineer but I can’t > remember who it is.Just make sure that it has a cool lam on it or it or it > will go bust in todays market…R.B. …Funny you mentioned that Clean, the guys that approached me had asked some aerotech guys awhile back if they wanted to get involved.ANSWER NO. So,in comes Herb the builder/inventor,and crew of jolly pirates. We as a group are not some much into capitalizing on it,sure doing shaving ads and sh**y girls money would be nice,but that’s not or goal.We want to spark a revolution in skydiving,and flight both.Were not even interested in being the first so much as seeing it fly into reality!There will however be my label on it.(wouldn’t you?) I got the landing gear solved.Just by blabbing here has made me think of different angles,and have already come up with a aerodynamic landing device.Basically skids.The big problem is weight,I have to hold the weight down to a blow-up pool toy weight,but rather rigid with some flex,and tough as titanium(humm,pool toy???Maybe I should use a surftech). I know the first one will go quick,basically lt.foam and glass,but I will try ,over time to improve the structural integrity of the plane. There will be no heroics on several of the first jumps,a chute will be used at all times.In time,no open chute landings will be old hat,then jumping with a small emergency chute only…then some nut will jump/fly/land without a chute at all, sucessfully…probably Laird or Kelly…LOL,just joking.But seriously,I can see this like it’s already been done and is old news. definiatly wouldn’t want to eat the landing,OUCH! …Just another project in the works. …One of the crew asked me what would be the biggest set back or failure to this project(just short of someone dieing or getting seriously injured). …I answered quietly,our own minds.Herb
…Funny you mentioned that Clean, the guys that approached me > had asked some aerotech guys awhile back if they wanted to get > involved.ANSWER NO.>>> So,in comes Herb the builder/inventor,and crew of jolly pirates.>>> We as a group are not some much into capitalizing on it,sure doing shaving > ads and sh**y girls money would be nice,but that’s not or goal.We want to > spark a revolution in skydiving,and flight both.Were not even interested > in being the first so much as seeing it fly into reality!There will > however be my label on it.(wouldn’t you?)>>> I got the landing gear solved.Just by blabbing here has made me think of > different angles,and have already come up with a aerodynamic landing > device.Basically skids.The big problem is weight,I have to hold the weight > down to a blow-up pool toy weight,but rather rigid with some flex,and > tough as titanium(humm,pool toy???Maybe I should use a surftech).>>> I know the first one will go quick,basically lt.foam and glass,but I will > try ,over time to improve the structural integrity of the plane.>>> There will be no heroics on several of the first jumps,a chute will be > used at all times.In time,no open chute landings will be old hat,then > jumping with a small emergency chute only…then some nut will > jump/fly/land without a chute at all, sucessfully…probably Laird or > Kelly…LOL,just joking.But seriously,I can see this like it’s already > been done and is old news.>>> definiatly wouldn’t want to eat the landing,OUCH!>>> …Just another project in the works.>>> …One of the crew asked me what would be the biggest set back or > failure to this project(just short of someone dieing or getting seriously > injured).>>> …I answered quietly,our own minds.Herb Maybe it ought to be inflatable.Perhaps some new space age miracle stuff…Dale Solomon might be able to help you get this thing into the “air”.
Cleanlines…How about laminating some of the spongy painted shit you have in your shop to the bottom of an air board. You know the stuff you hit me with when I sand though the cloth of one of your long boards!
Cleanlines…How about laminating some of the spongy painted shit you have > in your shop to the bottom of an air board. You know the stuff you hit me > with when I sand though the cloth of one of your long boards! huh?Hey Tuna are you on the sauce tonight???
Hey herb, Just curious, but what kind of testing or math have you done in this project. How can you be so sure this thing will float? I am very anxious to see this design, I have dreamed of such a beast for some time …
if you use skids (or not) I think honeycomb, which can be shaped, for the whole thing with an aluminium skin will get you lite and strong. it’s also what planes are made of and your making a plane not a board. if you get into production you may want to make a press die and punch out top and bottom alum. parts and weld them together around the honeycomb. you could use honeycomb sheathed in the pre-preg coposite of your choice (even lighter) using a vac bag/autoclave process. also, put a replacable piece of aluminum (.060 thick) on the bottom where it will (belly?) land. although, if you don’t have a flat area to land you could ruin a lot of ankles. I maybe way off base here cause I’ve no idea what you’re making but I do know a bit about aircraft construction so let me know if I can be of assistance. look in to patenting the idea before you get done.
…Composite is probably the way to go in the long run,or build them like a playskool toy with support ribs. …My math is better than average,but I’m no engineer.Like I said I’m just going on what I know,and what others have gotten away with.At any rate this one should kill a freaking airboard in flight performance…if it doesn’t break-up on a maximum velocity drop.Herb
…Composite is probably the way to go in the long run,or build them > like a playskool toy with support ribs.>>> …My math is better than average,but I’m no engineer.Like I said > I’m just going on what I know,and what others have gotten away with.At any > rate this one should kill a freaking airboard in flight > performance…if it doesn’t break-up on a maximum velocity drop.Herb – Herb, I have no doubt that such an idea is feasible… plus, a fascinating sidenote are those few brave souls who are known as Birdmen, aka wingsuit flyers. I also have no doubt that some day humans will drop from high altitude, fly and land UNASSISTED… so far, many have died trying, but the barriers of human flight will eventually all be broken. http://users.utu.fi/vejuto/history.html http://home.nordnet.fr/~paramag/archives/n132/article/article-us.html http://www.bird-man.com/
–>>> Herb,>>> I have no doubt that such an idea is feasible… plus, a fascinating > sidenote are those few brave souls who are known as Birdmen, aka wingsuit > flyers. I also have no doubt that some day humans will drop from high > altitude, fly and land UNASSISTED… so far, many have died trying, but > the barriers of human flight will eventually all be broken.>>> http://users.utu.fi/vejuto/history.html>>> http://home.nordnet.fr/~paramag/archives/n132/article/article-us.html>>> http://www.bird-man.com/ – In addition: http://www.freesky.de/SKYRAYe.html http://www.freesky.de/movpics.html
Man, its gonna be a sky full of green goblins!!! Herb, I think it needs wheels to land on. Something like rollerblade wheels that are faired in to the bottom like some of those salt flat cars.