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This idea is full of hot air.

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This idea is full of hot air.
Post by Random Numbers   » Sat Jun 27, 2015 2:21 am

Random Numbers
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With machine spun and woven steel thistle silk, I could see the employment of hot air balloons as observation platforms and communication links. Balloons could be transported by a dragon along most terrain, and the deployment would be faster than erecting an observation tower. Purified kerosine or even sea dragon oil could be used as a fuel for burners, atomized by a hand-pump filled pressure canister.
Indeed, silk mantled, atomized fuel lanterns should already have come to someone's mind by now as a way of producing a bright enough light for sending messages at night, and a balloon chain could enable rapid communication throughout the Republic even where the semaphore is not currently available.
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Re: This idea is full of hot air.
Post by anwi   » Sat Jun 27, 2015 7:17 am

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Random Numbers wrote:With machine spun and woven steel thistle silk, I could see the employment of hot air balloons as observation platforms and communication links. Balloons could be transported by a dragon along most terrain, and the deployment would be faster than erecting an observation tower. Purified kerosine or even sea dragon oil could be used as a fuel for burners, atomized by a hand-pump filled pressure canister.
Indeed, silk mantled, atomized fuel lanterns should already have come to someone's mind by now as a way of producing a bright enough light for sending messages at night, and a balloon chain could enable rapid communication throughout the Republic even where the semaphore is not currently available.


That idea seems to come up regularly. I agree that is a workable assumption, especially if we're talking about hot-air ballons as observation posts.
However, given the existing surveillance capabilities of the inner circle, this would effectively only provide a cover for their supreme commanders access to SNARC's intelligence. Therefore, the added value for Charis is not that big, IMHO. Simultaneously, there's the countervaling factor that sending humans up into the air, where they obviously weren't placed by Langhorne, might trigger resentment even in their own ranks. So, I don't see a big incentive for the inner circle to push in that direction. And if they wait for a Safeholdian to come up with the proposal, they probably have to wait for some time....
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Re: This idea is full of hot air.
Post by SWM   » Sat Jun 27, 2015 11:23 am

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Yes, this comes up regularly.

Pretty much everyone agrees that the only reason this would not be workable and useful for Charis right now is if there is something explicit in the Proscriptions that reserves flight to the Angels.
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Re: This idea is full of hot air.
Post by Keith_w   » Sat Jun 27, 2015 12:45 pm

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I personally think that it is totally cruel of RFC to not post a complete copy of the prescriptions where we can nose around in them so we know what the lower limits of the prescriptions are. :twisted: Just because he wants to keep his options open is no reason not to share them with us. :mrgreen: :lol:
--
A common mistake people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
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Re: This idea is full of hot air.
Post by FreeTrav   » Sat Jun 27, 2015 1:07 pm

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SWM wrote:Yes, this comes up regularly.

Pretty much everyone agrees that the only reason this would not be workable and useful for Charis right now is if there is something explicit in the Proscriptions that reserves flight to the Angels.

Given that selected people on the EoC's side have access to the SNARC data, and we've seen examples of creative prevarication to cover up the acquisition of otherwise impossible knowledge from that source, I would tend to take the position that all that EoC observation balloons would accomplish right now would be to give the Temple the idea to use them against the "heretic" forces. Do we really want that?
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Re: This idea is full of hot air.
Post by Weird Harold   » Sat Jun 27, 2015 1:30 pm

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Random Numbers wrote:...and a balloon chain could enable rapid communication throughout the Republic even where the semaphore is not currently available.


I think this is at least a new justification for why/how balloons might be useful.
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Answers! I got lots of answers!

(Now if I could just find the right questions.)
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Re: This idea is full of hot air.
Post by JRM   » Mon Jun 29, 2015 7:56 am

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Weird Harold wrote:
Random Numbers wrote:...and a balloon chain could enable rapid communication throughout the Republic even where the semaphore is not currently available.


I think this is at least a new justification for why/how balloons might be useful.


Hi WH,

The last time I commented on Airships, I listed the problems, and then described the current state of the industry.

American Blimp Company will build you a blimp today. The most progressive work is being done by Aeros, and Hybrid Air Vehicles. Aeros plans to use compressors to remove helium from the lift balloons to reduce buoyancy, and then inflate the balloons from the storage tanks to increase buoyancy. Hybrid Air Vehicles have built an airship with slightly negative buoyancy. The airship ascends using either or aerodynamic lift, or vectoring the thrust of its’ four engines. Hybrid Air Vehicles is using Vectran, Kevlar, and Mylar in the airship skin, and composite materials for its’ framework.

The Army cancelled a contract with Hybrid Air Vehicles because the airship was a year behind schedule, and 12,000 pounds overweight. (Also Afghanistan was winding down.) The airship was designed to have a 20 ton lift capacity, and the extra 6 tons reduced the time the airship could remain airborne from around 20 days to 5 or 6 days. They sold the airship that had cost $297 million to develop back to Hybrid Air Vehicle for $300,000.00. Hybrid Air Vehicles is planning to sell the airship to the British Army who will use it as an independent observation platform that can stay airborne for 5 to 6 days.


At the time of the Army cancellation Lockheed Martin Corp's comment on airships was that they had stability problems with wind gusts. Hybrid Air Vehicles bought the existing airship and rebuilt it in England. HAV was crowdfunding in April, and got 2,367,960 Pounds (English money not ballast.)

So, surprise, surprise. HAV is now Lockheed Martin's exclusive sales agent for Lockheed designed airships.

http://www.businessinsider.com/r-lockheed-names-partner-for-commercial-sales-of-giant-airships--2015-6

If you are wondering why Lockheed wants back in, it is probably because the EPA and Army Corp of Engineer's seem to be determined to shut down all mining or drilling in Alaska.

James
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