Sub-PowerBook Lobbyist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Washington, DC
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Some of you guys and girls might remember that I fly hot air balloons. The one I own is a so-called Cloudhopper. It's a one-man balloon without a basket, where the propane tank just "straps" to your back and your legs dangle in the air. Now that I'm done with law school, I want to build a new envelope for my Cloudhopper. I'm still in the design phase, but I thought I would solicit your input. I will need help with two tasks: (1) choosing colors for the envelope design, and (2) giving the new Cloudhopper a name.
Here's a mockup of what the shape of the new envelope will look like (the color will unlikely be plain lime green ): It's an 8-gore bulbous design with horizontal panels. For the coloring, it'll basically be a grid of rectangles 8-wide and 9-high (approximately), wrapped around the shape above. The name can match the color scheme, or the shape, or nothing at all. First thoughts were "Power Puff" and "Sky Bag," but I'm sure you'll be more creative. Finally, you can have a look at this QT clip of me flying my Cloudhopper (with its current/old envelope) to get a feel for this aircraft. You can also find a whole slew of info about Cloudhoppers at the Cloudhopper.org website. Thanks in advance for your input! I look forward to any thoughts and comments, and I'll post updates as the project moves along. Escher I've been waiting for a true sub-PowerBook for more than 10 years. The 11-inch MacBook Air finally delivers on all counts! It beats the hell out of both my PowerBook 2400c and my 12-inch PowerBook G4 -- no contest whatsoever. Last edited by Escher : 2004-08-12 at 08:23. |
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Mr. Vieira
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
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That's the coolest thing I've ever seen. I had no idea they made balloons like that. I'd do that in a heartbeat!
As for color and all, you know my choice. And for name? Well, if it were me, I couldn't help but adverstise/promote my computing platform of choice in some subtle - or not-so-subtle - way. iHopper |
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¡Damned!
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
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BBQ Ham and Yo Mamma...
That looks like a hella fun. |
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¡Damned!
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
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Sub-PowerBook Lobbyist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Washington, DC
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Escher I've been waiting for a true sub-PowerBook for more than 10 years. The 11-inch MacBook Air finally delivers on all counts! It beats the hell out of both my PowerBook 2400c and my 12-inch PowerBook G4 -- no contest whatsoever. |
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Sub-PowerBook Lobbyist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Washington, DC
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Escher I've been waiting for a true sub-PowerBook for more than 10 years. The 11-inch MacBook Air finally delivers on all counts! It beats the hell out of both my PowerBook 2400c and my 12-inch PowerBook G4 -- no contest whatsoever. |
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Mr. Vieira
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
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Make it black, with a big slab gray "X", but people would probably think it's a Malcolm X statement.
I'd make it sunny colors: oranges and yellows. Would stand out against a blue (or even gray) sky really well. CloudDancer With your feet hanging down and all... |
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Sub-PowerBook Lobbyist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Washington, DC
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Escher I've been waiting for a true sub-PowerBook for more than 10 years. The 11-inch MacBook Air finally delivers on all counts! It beats the hell out of both my PowerBook 2400c and my 12-inch PowerBook G4 -- no contest whatsoever. |
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Hates the Infotainment
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
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Model it after the Dutch National Soccer Team. Some alternating pattern of Royal Blue and "Scates Orange" with a bad-ass Lion-Crown emblem.
Even if no one knows what it is, it will still be cool as heaven. ...into the light of a dark black night. |
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9" monochrome
Join Date: May 2004
Location: 🇦🇺
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Escher - don't know if you're a Star Wars fan or not ... but this thing is screaming for "Skywalker"
... orange and black colour scheme with a lightsaber or luminous stripe (in flourescent green) emblazoned across it. OK - maybe that went too far. |
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On Pacific time
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Moderator's Pub
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Heeheehahahahaha (oops...sorry...couldn't resist ) |
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Sub-PowerBook Lobbyist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Washington, DC
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There's also an additional color element that I had forgotten about. There is some load-bearing webbing that will run along the vertical seams of the envelope. Other balloon builders have used custom-dyed webbing to good effect (see a friend's green balloon with yellow webbing). BTW: I'm working on a 3D CAD wireframe and 2D rendering, which should be done in the next month or two. At that point I'll be able to post a realistic design blank for some easy coloring fun with the paint bucket tool. Escher I've been waiting for a true sub-PowerBook for more than 10 years. The 11-inch MacBook Air finally delivers on all counts! It beats the hell out of both my PowerBook 2400c and my 12-inch PowerBook G4 -- no contest whatsoever. |
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Sub-PowerBook Lobbyist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Washington, DC
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Escher |
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9" monochrome
Join Date: May 2004
Location: 🇦🇺
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yeah - that webbing can be effective if used as a contrast colour - green and gold ... nice colour scheme! (now, why would I think that?)
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Mr. Vieira
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
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You're so bad... |
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Antimatter Man
Join Date: May 2004
Location: that interweb thing
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Shape and relative position over your head suggest only two design concepts.
Light Bulb... it's the floating idea moment. Call it the "Flying iDea" Mylar wrapping on the bottom panels to imitate the metal sleeve of the bulb, frosted white panels with a filament design. Perhaps the flame will look like a lit filament anyway. Floating Crown/Python Foot (depending on your sense of humour.) Perhaps the Python foot is impractical as a shape (ditto a crown), but the overhead position seems to cry out for a suspended hat floating in space. Maybe a giant propeller beanie or mostly transparent panels and a single gold band as a floating halo. I'm not clear if there are material limitations or safety restrictions on 'invisible hazards' which might preclude the use of transparent fabric or highly reflective mylar, but if they are possibilities, it seems to widen the options from a visual appearance point of view. |
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Sub-PowerBook Lobbyist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Washington, DC
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I should have elaborated on materials. I'll be using silicone-coated ripstop nylon of the kind used in parachutes. Available colors from my supplier are: sky blue, red, lime (medium green), royal (blue), white, kelly (dark green), black, purple (dark eggplant), cantelope (neon orange), light blue, lemon (neon yellow), silver (gray-ish), jade (dark teal-ish), plum (Barney purple/pink), orange, yellow (warmer shade, going on gold), and navy (blue). Continued thanks for everyone's input! Escher I've been waiting for a true sub-PowerBook for more than 10 years. The 11-inch MacBook Air finally delivers on all counts! It beats the hell out of both my PowerBook 2400c and my 12-inch PowerBook G4 -- no contest whatsoever. |
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Hates the Infotainment
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
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Escher:
No, there was no blue in that particular logo I posted... just wanted you to see the orange / lion crown logo. I just happen to know they sometimes use royal blue because I've seen the unis in past world cup matches... pretty cool combo. ...into the light of a dark black night. |
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Antimatter Man
Join Date: May 2004
Location: that interweb thing
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Monty Python foot was what I had in mind.
Thought "Python foot" ruled everything else out... now that I think of it, you could also try the proverbial Monty Python 6000 ton weight suspended over your head... might be good for a laugh or two. How about a giant head? Attach streamers to one side and make the world's largest flying mullet. On rereading my original post, I should have clarified that 'only two concepts' seemed worth mentioning at the time. Not that two were all I could come up with. Especially given that I actually listed three. Last edited by curiousuburb : 2004-08-12 at 21:08. |
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Sub-PowerBook Lobbyist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Washington, DC
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I was listening to the Aldo Nova album linked from the 2nd speedhole and had an idea: How about a simple bursting star-like pattern? And then name the Cloudhopper BallooNova? Escher I've been waiting for a true sub-PowerBook for more than 10 years. The 11-inch MacBook Air finally delivers on all counts! It beats the hell out of both my PowerBook 2400c and my 12-inch PowerBook G4 -- no contest whatsoever. |
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