Airship Simon

The

Airship “Simon”

The

Design and Construction
of a

Radio Controlled Blimp

Cyril Lutz

Maurice Rüegg

Cyril Lutz and Maurice Rüegg

The Airship “Simon”
The

Design and Construction
of a

Radio Controlled Blimp

Realgymnasium Rämibühl 8001 Zürich

A Research Project November 1996 – February 1998

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Contents
Acknowledgments Foreword Abstract NomenclatureAbbreviations AIRSHIP DESIGN 1. Introduction a) What is an Airship? b) What is “Simon”? 2. Buoyancy and Lift a) The Lift Logo b) Static Lift of an Airship c) Temperature and Pressure 3. The Envelope a) Dimensions – The Look of a Zeppelin b) Volume, Lifting Force, and Weight 4. The Gondola a) Functions b) Form and Dimensions 5. Flight Dynamics a) Steering b) Friction and Air Resistance c)Stabilization 6. Electronics and Motorization a) Electronics b) Motorization 7. Etceteras a) Flight Certification b) Meteorology and Atmospheric Effects THE CONSTRUCTION OF “SIMON” 1. First Steps a) Hull Shape b) A Gondola c) Dimensions 2. Calculations and Model Construction a) Hull Values b) Calculating Hullparts c) First Models 5 6 7 7 7 8 9 9 9 10 10 11 12 13 13 13 14 14 14 14 14 15 16 16 16 16 17 17 17 1819 19 20 20 21 21 23 24

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3. Construction of the Main Parts a) A Tilting Axle b) Construction of the Gondola and the Hull c) The Electronics d) The Fins 4. First Experiences and Improvements a) Flight Preparations b) Flying a Blimp c) Improvements 5. Completion a) Motor Thrust – An Experiment b) Air Resistance – An Approximation c) Helium Recycling APPENDICES Appendix A: TechnicalInformation of “Simon” Appendix B: Hullpart Data Appendix C: Scientific Data Tables Appendix D: The Zeppelins Bibliography Sources for Figures and Tables

24 24 25 26 27 27 27 27 27 28 28 28 29 30 31 32 34 36 37 39

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Acknowledgments
“Failure is an orphan . . . but success has many fathers.”
Due to the ideas and support of a great many people around the two of us, the airship “Simon” has becomereality. Their support has helped to solve all problems and leave only solutions.

Special thanks to
Patrick Ehrismann, our teacher and project manager for his general assistance, support and time The financial issue–solving donator, who would like to stay in the back Hanspeter Gallmann for some useful devices The Immark Ltd. for their compressing assistance Anton Knobel and Paul Oswald, thetechnicians of the Realgymnasium Rämibühl, for their practical guidance and real life experience Robert König for his ideas and interest in our problems André Masson for checking on theoretical flaws Diego Oppenheim for his sound and pictorial work and his great perseverance Christian Sommer for making the following understandable Oskar Wirth for some fast problem solutions and Our families andespecially Natalie for being there when four hands were just not enough and time was running just too fast.

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Foreword
It all started in November 1996, when we decided to build an “air–something” because we shared an interest in everything related to aviation and aeronautics, and this has been so, since we went to kindergarten. The first problem that came up was to decide on what exactly wewanted to build. Anyone can buy a model helicopter set or glue together the wings of a model glider, but we agreed to make something completely different. – An airship! – There it was, the idea of something completely different. We would build a radio– controlled blimp, a combination of designing, calculating, constructing, and flying a quite special aircraft. As soon as the idea was there, theenthusiasm and excitement joined in. Although we were forced to start from scratch with a project turning out to be almost pioneering work, we soon had our first successes and failures behind us and nothing could stop us any more. The blimp “Simon” would become reality. Now, everything is done. When looking back, we must admit that designing was hard, the calculations consumed almost as much time as...