Hostname: page-component-cb9f654ff-65tv2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-09-01T04:54:25.343Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Balloons, airships and kites – lighter than air: past, present and future

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2016

J. Folkes
J. Folkes*
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

One hundred years on from the advent of aeronautics at Queen Mary, University of London, developments in lighter than air technology have progressed at a somewhat slower pace than the technology for heavier than air. Innovations afforded by the ‘discovery’ of helium, the development of the modern day hot air balloon and the application of new materials have all contributed to today’s technical innovations. A review is given of the past history of lighter than air, a note is made of the current state of the art and a brief overview of future applications is discussed. The author’s personal experience in long distance gas balloon flights is mentioned.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 112 , Issue 1133 , July 2008 , pp. 421 - 429
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2008 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

1. Lausanne, E., The Romance of Ballooning The Story of the early Aeronauts, 1971, Patrick Stephens, London, UK.Google Scholar
2. Dwiggins, D., The Complete Book of Airships – Dirigibles, Blimps and Hot Air Balloons, 1980, Airlife, Shrewsbury.Google Scholar
3. Taylor, J.W.R. and Bowyer, C., Pictorial History of the RAF, Vo. 1, 1918-1939, 1980, Ian Allan, Shepperton, Surrey, UK.Google Scholar
4. Smith, M.S. and Rainwater, E.L., Applications of scientific ballooning technology to high altitude airships, 2003, AIAA.Google Scholar
5. Wise, J., System of Aeronautics, 1850.Google Scholar
6. Chollet, L., Balloon fabrics made of goldbeaters skin, 1922, translated from L’Aeronautique National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, USA.Google Scholar
7. Saito, Y., et al Development of a 2.8µm film for scientific balloons, Advances in Space Research, 2006, 37.Google Scholar
8. Folkes, J.A., Advanced design technology of airship structure, 2000, Second Stratospheric Platform Systems Workshop (SPSW2000), Tokyo Japan.Google Scholar
9. Vargas, A., Evrard, J. and Maurois, P., Russian-French Mars Aerostat project 1987-1995, 1997, AIAA.Google Scholar
10. Rolt, L.T.C., The Balloonists: The History of the First Aeronauts, 2006, Sutton Publishing, Stroud, UK.Google Scholar
11. Sprigg, C., The Airships, 2001, University Press of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.Google Scholar
12. Beaufoy, B.H., Aerostation: the scrapbooks of Henry B.H. Beaufoy, pp 126–127 plus manuscript note, Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Princeton University Library.Google Scholar