So what kind of nut designs and builds these things? I suppose I'm a normal person - to look at. I am self employed as an aerospace consultant and I do service work dynamically balancing propellers, performing vibration analysis of aircraft engines, structures, and helicopter rotors. I'm a private pilot with an instrument rating and stopped counting at 2000 hours PIC (Pilot In Command) time. I'm a licensed A&P.
This whole dirigible thing got started as a B.S. session at an aviation trade show.
Imagine.
Now isn't that how most things start. I wonder if Dr. Nobel imagined how a stick about the size of a short pipe might blow up a house...
Anyway, I backpack, raise chickens, build bikes and furniture, keep the computers around here running, prevent the kids from killing themselves and their pets , reload my own ammo, and embarrass my wife without even trying.
I abhor political correctness. My heros are Teddy Roosevelt and Richard Nixon.
I'm a Reformed Catholic (Lutheran) and I preach on occasion (very rare for Lutherans). I go to church regularly and say my prayers. I can promise if you don't do your weight and balance correctly, no amount of prayer will help. God told me so. More than once.
I've travelled all over the world and almost always found someone I liked. Failing that I found something good to eat. I'm literate in German and Thai. Why I picked two languages with the longest words I'll never know. Lucky I guess.
If you have ever seen my dirigible, you might ask "Why does it have so many wrinkles?" I can tell you've never worked with mylar before. I blame it on the super glue fumes, or not having help covering. For those that have worked with mylar, I often hear "How'd you get it so smooth?" Well there you are.
If you see my dirigible stuck on the ceiling because something fell off, well, I'm not flying in it am I?
Hey, anybody that drops a 7 foot boa in his neighbors mailbox slot as a joke can't be all bad right? Just kidding. Would I do that? Hmmm...
Imagine.