Greetings Cloudhopper Enthusiasts!

I have posted video and photos of my nearly complete ‘hopper lower-half that I’ve been building in Rhode Island, USA. 

It’s not really a cloudhopper, not really a sky chariot - heck I didn’t know quite what to call it.

There is a video here (high speed connections only):

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6741501295375944588

As well as some still photos:

http://noahhopper.shutterfly.com

I have wanted to build and fly a ‘hopper for 13 years, but up until last summer, I'd only gotten to the point of napkin sketches, until Dan Nachbar’s eXperimental only Lighter Than Air meet (XLTA1) in Amherst, MA last summer got me off my duff.  This is the first hopper (that I know of) where you stand up facing the tank - this allows for easy access to the tank valve and gauge, and the tank provides protection on landing - as the tank is by far the strongest component in any balloon system.  The photos and video do not show the substantial tank padding which will be applied. 

I've never been fond of the fact that in a “normal” cloudhopper your legs are at an angle which makes them much less useful than they are in a normal balloon basket landing and your spine might compresses on a hard vertical landing.  From this I find that many hopper pilots tend to fly only in the calmest of conditions.  I want a balloon which I can fly on windy days! 

The entire assembly can be quickly disassembled to fit in the trunk of your car, or the back of your airplane, as the case may be.  A lexan impact resistant plastic skid plate is designed to hit trees and slide on the ground like a sled.  A harness with dual quick releases keeps you from falling out but allows quick egress.  It's not quite done, but most of the pieces are there, and you get the idea.

Your comments, criticisms, suggestions, naming ideas, etc. are most welcome.

Highest Regards to all,

Noah Forden

Pre-flight Testing . . .   March 24, 2006

And the FIRST FLIGHT . . .   April 15, 2006