Cheap Flight

Johnny Pneumatic · 9th February 2004, 03:44 PM

what are the cheapest flying machines?

Zep · 9th February 2004, 03:48 PM

Two aspirins and a bottle of Pepsi Max???

Soapy Sam · 9th February 2004, 04:05 PM

A friend used to have an alarm clock in a baseball. Only cost about $9.99 and once he through it through the bedroom window clear into his neighbour's lot, where their dog savaged it.

Hey- it was a machine and it flew. You did ask.

mummymonkey · 9th February 2004, 04:19 PM

xouper · 9th February 2004, 04:20 PM

Quote:

bewareofdogmas: what are the cheapest flying machines?

</td><td valign="top">If you are asking about a machine that you can get in and fly, one that has an engine to takeoff and maintain level flight (i.e. not a glider), then my best guess is a single seat paraplane or something similar.

Image courtesy of
http://www.paraventure.com/faq.html</td></tr></table>

Johnny Pneumatic · 9th February 2004, 04:48 PM

I forget the name of it, its a 30,000+- helicopter
It was on Tomorrow's World.

xouper · 9th February 2004, 05:15 PM

Quote:

bewareofdogmas: I forget the name of it, its a 30,000+- helicopter It was on Tomorrow's World.

Since you can't buy one of those today at any price, what exactly is your question? You can buy a new paraplane today for $8,000 and you can buy a previously owned Cessna for $20,000.

Soapy Sam · 9th February 2004, 05:15 PM

It would have to be a man-carrying kite. Pretty easy to build, but not the safest form of transport.

xouper · 9th February 2004, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Soapy Sam: It would have to be a man-carrying kite. Pretty easy to build, but not the safest form of transport.

You mean like one of these?

image courtesy of http://www.kemmeriesaviation.com

This kind of craft are only slightly more expensive than paraplane style aircraft. In fact most Part 103 ultralights are well under $20,000.

Johnny Pneumatic · 9th February 2004, 05:45 PM

Since you can't buy one of those today at any price, what exactly is your question?-Xouper

You CAN buy them now for about $30,000. I forget what its called.
Powered Para-gliders are the cheapest way to fly that I've found.

xouper · 9th February 2004, 07:28 PM

Quote:

bewareofdogmas: You CAN buy them now for about $30,000. I forget what its called.

If you are referring to the GEN H4, which was recently on Tomorrow's World, then where exactly can someone buy one today?

According to the manufacturer's FAQ, which is three years out of date, it's not yet available for purchase.

In fact, I'm having trouble finding any current information about this vehicle, which is not a good sign, considering the history of broken promises by some in the kit aircraft market.

Jas · 9th February 2004, 08:41 PM

Ernest & Julio Gallo

Matabiri · 10th February 2004, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by xouper
If you are referring to the GEN H4, which was recently on Tomorrow's World, then where exactly can someone buy one today?

There was this one:
http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/ptech/0...otrek.jetpack/

Which I think I've seen on sale for around $1,000,000, but the small print said that it would be disabled and the purchaser would have to promise not to try and fly it for liability reasons.

Jon_in_london · 10th February 2004, 03:51 AM

.

xouper · 10th February 2004, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Matabiri: There was this one:
http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/ptech/0...otrek.jetpack/

Which I think I've seen on sale for around $1,000,000, but the small print said that it would be disabled and the purchaser would have to promise not to try and fly it for liability reasons.

That was the original prototype that was offered for sale on ebay a year ago, but I don't know what became of that auction.

RCNelson · 10th February 2004, 09:03 AM

You could attach 45 weather balloons to a lawn chair like Larry Walters did in 1982.

Lawn Chair Balloon Flight

Up, Up, and Away!

Crossbow · 10th February 2004, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bewareofdogmas
what are the cheapest flying machines?

The cheapest thing I know of would be the Doodlebug and/or the Mosquito which use a small 2-stroke internal combustion engine to provide power for hang-gliders.

You can get more data for both at the BlueSky hang-gliding school in Virginia.

http://www.jdperk.com/bluesky/

Soapy Sam · 10th February 2004, 10:28 AM

Xouper- No, the motorised hang glider in your picture is much more sophisticated than what I had in mind. I really meant a kite. They were used byartillery spotters in WW1. Bamboo and cotton technology. Often two or three would be flown above each other, using the first (small) kite to get the next (larger) kite airborne. The third actually carried a man. They were tethered, but still flew. The mortality rate must have been high.

Johnny Pneumatic · 10th February 2004, 03:48 PM

http://www.techtv.com/news/scitech/s...372941,00.html

Unless its a typo, Rocket Packs with 175 min. flight time are coming!!

I want one so bad.

Johnny Pneumatic · 10th February 2004, 06:37 PM

Perhaps I posted with to much haste. I can't find anything on Thunderbolt Aerosystems.

9th February 2004, 03:44 PM	#1
Johnny Pneumatic Corpuscle Clay Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 2,089	Cheap Flight what are the cheapest flying machines?
	__________________ If we don't play god, who will?-James Watson What the hell is the matter with you people? Get your minds into the gutter!-Dorian Gray Good Lord - I've heard about this - cat juggling! Stop! Stop! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Good. Father, could there be a God that would let this happen?- Navin R. Johnson, The Jerk There is nothing to believe in. There's no need to believe...There is nothing to believe in in this world. -Vicious, Cowboy Bebop

9th February 2004, 03:48 PM	#2
Zep Banned Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 26,985	Two aspirins and a bottle of Pepsi Max???
Zep Banned Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 26,985

9th February 2004, 04:05 PM	#3
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885	A friend used to have an alarm clock in a baseball. Only cost about $9.99 and once he through it through the bedroom window clear into his neighbour's lot, where their dog savaged it. Hey- it was a machine and it flew. You did ask.
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885

9th February 2004, 04:19 PM	#4
mummymonkey Did you spill my pint? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Scotland Posts: 1,917
	__________________ Knees bent, arms stretched, Ra! Ra! Ra!

9th February 2004, 04:20 PM	#5
xouper Banned Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,189	Quote: bewareofdogmas: what are the cheapest flying machines? <table><tr><td> </td><td valign="top">If you are asking about a machine that you can get in and fly, one that has an engine to takeoff and maintain level flight (i.e. not a glider), then my best guess is a single seat paraplane or something similar. Image courtesy of http://www.paraventure.com/faq.html</td></tr></table>
xouper Banned Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,189

9th February 2004, 04:48 PM	#6
Johnny Pneumatic Corpuscle Clay Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 2,089	I forget the name of it, its a 30,000+- helicopter It was on Tomorrow's World.
	__________________ If we don't play god, who will?-James Watson What the hell is the matter with you people? Get your minds into the gutter!-Dorian Gray Good Lord - I've heard about this - cat juggling! Stop! Stop! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Good. Father, could there be a God that would let this happen?- Navin R. Johnson, The Jerk There is nothing to believe in. There's no need to believe...There is nothing to believe in in this world. -Vicious, Cowboy Bebop

9th February 2004, 05:15 PM	#7
xouper Banned Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,189	Quote: bewareofdogmas: I forget the name of it, its a 30,000+- helicopter It was on Tomorrow's World. Since you can't buy one of those today at any price, what exactly is your question? You can buy a new paraplane today for $8,000 and you can buy a previously owned Cessna for $20,000.
xouper Banned Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,189

9th February 2004, 05:34 PM	#9
xouper Banned Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,189	Quote: Soapy Sam: It would have to be a man-carrying kite. Pretty easy to build, but not the safest form of transport. You mean like one of these? image courtesy of http://www.kemmeriesaviation.com This kind of craft are only slightly more expensive than paraplane style aircraft. In fact most Part 103 ultralights are well under $20,000.
xouper Banned Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,189

9th February 2004, 05:45 PM	#10
Johnny Pneumatic Corpuscle Clay Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 2,089	Since you can't buy one of those today at any price, what exactly is your question?-Xouper You CAN buy them now for about $30,000. I forget what its called. Powered Para-gliders are the cheapest way to fly that I've found.
	__________________ If we don't play god, who will?-James Watson What the hell is the matter with you people? Get your minds into the gutter!-Dorian Gray Good Lord - I've heard about this - cat juggling! Stop! Stop! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Good. Father, could there be a God that would let this happen?- Navin R. Johnson, The Jerk There is nothing to believe in. There's no need to believe...There is nothing to believe in in this world. -Vicious, Cowboy Bebop

9th February 2004, 07:28 PM	#11
xouper Banned Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,189	Quote: bewareofdogmas: You CAN buy them now for about $30,000. I forget what its called. If you are referring to the GEN H4, which was recently on Tomorrow's World, then where exactly can someone buy one today? According to the manufacturer's FAQ, which is three years out of date, it's not yet available for purchase. In fact, I'm having trouble finding any current information about this vehicle, which is not a good sign, considering the history of broken promises by some in the kit aircraft market.
xouper Banned Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,189

9th February 2004, 08:41 PM	#12
Jas Queen Skankarella of Ho Nation Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 3,845	Ernest & Julio Gallo
	__________________ "Ah, there's nothing more exciting than science! You get all the fun of sitting still, being quiet, writing down numbers, paying attention... Science has it all!" Lest We Forget

10th February 2004, 03:21 AM	#13
Matabiri Graduate Poster Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 1,734	Quote: Originally posted by xouper If you are referring to the GEN H4, which was recently on Tomorrow's World, then where exactly can someone buy one today? There was this one: http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/ptech/0...otrek.jetpack/ Which I think I've seen on sale for around $1,000,000, but the small print said that it would be disabled and the purchaser would have to promise not to try and fly it for liability reasons.
	__________________ "That's the kind of thing you can't look up on the internet, because it's the kind of thing you get taught at school." - Ashley Pomeroy

10th February 2004, 03:51 AM	#14
Jon_in_london Illuminator Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 4,994	.
	__________________ Radicals and Racists Don't point your finger at me I'm a small town white boy Just tryin' to make ends meet Don't need your religion Don't watch that much T.V. Just makin' my livin', baby Well that's enough for me

10th February 2004, 07:25 AM	#15
xouper Banned Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,189	Quote: Matabiri: There was this one: http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/ptech/0...otrek.jetpack/ Which I think I've seen on sale for around $1,000,000, but the small print said that it would be disabled and the purchaser would have to promise not to try and fly it for liability reasons. That was the original prototype that was offered for sale on ebay a year ago, but I don't know what became of that auction.
xouper Banned Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,189

10th February 2004, 09:03 AM	#16
RCNelson Critical Thinker Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 397	You could attach 45 weather balloons to a lawn chair like Larry Walters did in 1982. Lawn Chair Balloon Flight Up, Up, and Away!
RCNelson Critical Thinker Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 397	__________________ A point in every direction is the same as no point at all

10th February 2004, 09:45 AM	#17
Crossbow Seeking Honesty and Sanity Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 6,294	Re: Cheap Flight Quote: Originally posted by bewareofdogmas what are the cheapest flying machines? The cheapest thing I know of would be the Doodlebug and/or the Mosquito which use a small 2-stroke internal combustion engine to provide power for hang-gliders. You can get more data for both at the BlueSky hang-gliding school in Virginia. http://www.jdperk.com/bluesky/
	__________________ A man's best friend is his dogma.

10th February 2004, 10:28 AM	#18
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885	Xouper- No, the motorised hang glider in your picture is much more sophisticated than what I had in mind. I really meant a kite. They were used byartillery spotters in WW1. Bamboo and cotton technology. Often two or three would be flown above each other, using the first (small) kite to get the next (larger) kite airborne. The third actually carried a man. They were tethered, but still flew. The mortality rate must have been high.
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885

10th February 2004, 03:48 PM	#19
Johnny Pneumatic Corpuscle Clay Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 2,089	http://www.techtv.com/news/scitech/s...372941,00.html Unless its a typo, Rocket Packs with 175 min. flight time are coming!! I want one so bad.
	__________________ If we don't play god, who will?-James Watson What the hell is the matter with you people? Get your minds into the gutter!-Dorian Gray Good Lord - I've heard about this - cat juggling! Stop! Stop! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Good. Father, could there be a God that would let this happen?- Navin R. Johnson, The Jerk There is nothing to believe in. There's no need to believe...There is nothing to believe in in this world. -Vicious, Cowboy Bebop

10th February 2004, 06:37 PM	#20
Johnny Pneumatic Corpuscle Clay Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 2,089	Perhaps I posted with to much haste. I can't find anything on Thunderbolt Aerosystems.
	__________________ If we don't play god, who will?-James Watson What the hell is the matter with you people? Get your minds into the gutter!-Dorian Gray Good Lord - I've heard about this - cat juggling! Stop! Stop! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Good. Father, could there be a God that would let this happen?- Navin R. Johnson, The Jerk There is nothing to believe in. There's no need to believe...There is nothing to believe in in this world. -Vicious, Cowboy Bebop