OPEN CONTENT
BALLOON PLANS

PLANS_HOME

OVERVIEW

DRAWINGS

ENVELOPE

TOP

SKIRT

CABLES

FAA

MISC

CONTACT

Introduction Presented here is an "open content" reference design for of a home-built balloon suitable for first time amateur builders. (For a full description of the motivation behind this project, click here.) This project is being supported by a generous grant from the Wolf Aviation Fund. Rick Jones wrote a very nice overview that appeared in the March/April issue of Ballooning Magazine. Click here for a PDF of the article. (Reprinted with permission of the BFA.) The design is for a 54,000 cubic foot balloon envelope. The envelope uses a classic 16-gore, 13-panel structure. We chose this design because it is very straightforward to build and is modestly-sized for a first project. Comparable designs have been completed, by first-time builders, in less than 200 hours of work. The story of one construction job is detailed from start to finish in this blog. Nitty Gritty The plans are divided into several parts that correspond to the menu items along the left side if each page. These are Overview - The Big Picture Envelope - The bulk of the surface area and the work Top - The parachute vent on top Skirt - The ring of fabric around the mouth of the envelope Cables - The wires that connect the envelope to the bottom end FAA - How to manage regulatory process go smoothly Misc - Tidbits that don't obviously fit elsewhere Please don't hesitate to contact either of us if you have any questions about the construction process, how your project is going, or suggestions as to how we might improve these plans. Dan Nachbar (dan@nachbar.com) Paul Stumpf (psstumpf@aol.com)