Fuelless Airplane flies with gravity, the GravityPlane!

SVZ · April 11th, 2006, 01:50 PM

GravityPlane - An Aircraft that Operates On Gravity, Completely Free of Fossil Fuels

http://www.ibold.net/2006/04/11/grav...-fossil-fuels/

The earth is anything but devoid of energy. In fact, we are surrounded each and every day by an abundant amount of energy. The sun constantly sends energy right to the Earths surface. The planet’s mantle writhes can reach temperatures as high as 4,000 degrees Celcius, and there is a limitless supply of gravity everywhere.
Some of this energy is captured and used, but the majority of it goes to waste. There are only so many places that utilize (and can even afford) expensive solar panels. Even rarer geothermal installations use the Earths natural heat to generate power, and hydroelectric plants take advantage of the energy gravity has to offer.
So, you might ask, what does this have to do with aircraft? There is currently an aviation company based in Nevada that is exploring another creative way to use gravity as a power source. They are combining some very, very old ideas with some great new ones to come up with a total new concept’ an aircraft that might one day carry both cargo and people, almost an unlimited amount of distance, without burning an ounce of fuel to do it. The project has been dubbed ‘GravityPlane’.
The idea originally came from theoretical physicist and inventor Robert Hunt, who founded Hunt Aviation to develope this GravityPlane. The gravity plan operates on a relatively simple concept, using the principles of aerodynamic lift, buoyancy, and of course gravity to accomplish flight. The Plane uses cycles of repeatedly climbing and descending to maintain its life and forward speed, very similar to how bodies of warm and cold air work together to create weather.
The GravityPlane becomes airborn by using gas bags that are filled with helium from storage tanks inside the Plane. The helium causes the aircraft to become lighter than air, and thus rises. Compressed air jets on each side of the aircraft add to it’s propulsion, moving the vehicle skyward and further decreasing the planes weight by releasing the stored air which acts as a ballast. Once the aircraft reaches ten miles up, where the helium is no longer lighter then air, it can no longer climb any further. Some of the stored compressed air is then expanded into dirigible areas, which decreases the buoyancy of the helium, causing the aircraft to decend.
As gravity pulls the plan back towards Earth, the wings of the craft are moved to the swept back position to reduce the wind drag, and air turbines mounted on the top of the aircraft capture some of the forward momentum and use it to drive air pumps. These air pumps refill the on-board compressed air storage tanks. While gliding like this, the aircraft achieves aerodynamic life for a gradual descent at high speeds. The GravityPlane can travel in this ‘falling’ mode for between 400 and 600 miles. At the end of the gliding phase, the wings are extended once again, and the compressed air can once again be forced out through the air jets, thus pusing the aircraft back upwards and increasing buoyancy to lighter than air again. The aircraft climbs until it can climb no more, and then repeats the entire process.
Right now the GravityPlane is just a concept on the drawing board. If it were to leave the drawing board and actually enter production, the rewards could be potentially huge. By utilizing it’s design, the aircraft could practically travel an unlimited distance with no fuel. Add to that the fact that the GravityPlane can take off and land vertically, does not expel any polluting gasses, and is virtually silent, and it appears as if this plane is almost a miracle of modern science.
Given the crafts incredible simplicity and numerous benefits, this could completely revolutionize aircraft design in the coming years if the project prooves itself viable. Today, non-flammable helium is a reality, prevent a Hindenburg type disaster. It’s environmentally friendly, and is completely free from the ever growing expense of fossil fuels. Is it going to become a reality? Only time will tell.