SkyCat
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SkyCat (a portmanteau of "Sky Catamaran") is a class of proposed heavy-lift and ultra-heavy-lift hybrid aircraft which derive more than half of their lift by helium buoyancy and the balance of their lift by aerodynamic shaping. Such vehicles are not "payload specific". Because the SkyCat designs incorporate hover cushion technology in place of wheels, they can take-off and land anywhere, including remote regions without need for airports or sophisticated forward based infrastructure.
The SkyKitten, a 1/6 linear scale model of a SkyCat design was built and flown by ATG (now defunct) in the United Kingdom at Cardington.[1]
"SkyFreighter" is the name given by the Hybrid Aircraft Corporation to one of its implementations of the SkyCat design. These are proposed to carry heavy-lift and ultra-heavy-lift cargo payloads from 50 tons net payload to as heavy as 1000 tons which may be a mix of outsized and/or containerized objects.
The Skycat has the unique ability of being almost impervious to light ordnance, such as automatic rifle or mortar fire, which will merely pass through the Mylar envelope without causing critical helium loss. [2]
SkyCat air vehicle developments are being pursued by at least one major aerospace company. DARPA concluded their "WALRUS" contract with industry to explore technology options that might be employed in such vehicles as SkyCat in CY-2006.
[edit] References
- ^ New Scientist 2001-01-06
- ^ High Safety Level (page 5) and Structural Vulnerability Tests (page 7). World Skycat. Retrieved on 2008-04-25.
[edit] See also
- P-791 - a very similar aircraft from Lockheed-Martin
[edit] External links
- World SkyCat Ltd A company designing, making and marketing these aircraft.
- Hybrid Aircraft Corporation A company, not associated with World SkyCat Ltd, manufacturing, promoting and supporting air cargo transportation aircraft products built upon SkyCat technologies.
- SkyFreighter A unique ultra heavy air cargo transportation product.
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