Weird recovery method - Otto

[Salvage-1]

I should never have said yes with such glee as i did, but, it looks like I am going to become the proud owner of an inflatable Otto. Yes.. Otto The Autopilot from Airplane

The 'balloon' is made from some medium weight rubberized fabric with a bladder inside. Inflated, it is in a sitting position and is roughtly the same size as a 6ft man.

The idea struck me that if I can get it somehow to fill with helium on deployment, it may be able to negate enough of the weigh of the rocket with the lift from the helium.

First test be be later this week when I get to go and pick up Otto!! Then it is off to the local party store to see if it is possible to fill with helium, and if so, how much, if any, lift it creates. For this I will use my trusty fishing scale, upside down. Then, the road down to insanity continues....


Before I start this... has anyone any comments on if this will even be allowed? or feasible??

 

[CarVac]

I should never have said yes with such glee as i did, but, it looks like I am going to become the proud owner of an inflatable Otto. Yes.. Otto The Autopilot from Airplane

The 'balloon' is made from some medium weight rubberized fabric with a bladder inside. Inflated, it is in a sitting position and is roughtly the same size as a 6ft man.

The idea struck me that if I can get it somehow to fill with helium on deployment, it may be able to negate enough of the weigh of the rocket with the lift from the helium.

First test be be later this week when I get to go and pick up Otto!! Then it is off to the local party store to see if it is possible to fill with helium, and if so, how much, if any, lift it creates. For this I will use my trusty fishing scale, upside down. Then, the road down to insanity continues....


Before I start this... has anyone any comments on if this will even be allowed? or feasible??

I have a suspicion that Otto might be too close to neutrally or even negatively buoyant to reduce the weight much.

Do you know Otto's volume and weight? If so you can compute the lift you'll get.

 

[Salvage-1]

Nope, dont have the measurements, only saw the thing this afternoon and instantly my wife realized that I had that "MINE!" look on my face. She asked me whatever would I need this for, I firstly joked about Car Pool Lane use, and then admitted it was for rocketry, somehow.

The 'unit' is one of the ones which were available through some store or another way back when the movie came out. From feel it weighs about a 1lb or so (i may be VERY mistaken with that estimate) and my initial thought is that it may be too heavy even with helium. I have no idea what the bladder is made from, or what the actual outside material is, but, it is stoutly constructed!

 

[troj]

The challenge is that while the balloon itself may be able to be made positively buoyant, you also have to carry a cylinder to hold the compressed gas, a solenoid valve, the power source for said valve, all the appropriate plumbing.......I think you get the point.

-Kevin

 

[Peartree]

Helium is becoming increasingly expensive. You may find that filling with CO2 will be much easier and cheaper. You will be relying on the *size* of Otto to slow his fall instead of his buoyancy, essentially allowing him to become a really oddly shaped parachute.

 

[Salvage-1]

Helium is becoming increasingly expensive. You may find that filling with CO2 will be much easier and cheaper. You will be relying on the *size* of Otto to slow his fall instead of his buoyancy, essentially allowing him to become a really oddly shaped parachute.

ahhhh.. like a drift anchor.. in the air!! I like the thought! Plus, using CO2, I could use a bank of small pop cartridges and not need the full on scuba gear.

 

[JStitz]

Helium tests might have gone bad and another "Balloon Boy incident" could have happened...:fly:

Wait a minute!...in the movie Otto was inflated by...oh never mind.

 

[gdiscenza]

Remember, it's against the safety code to launch your rocket with a stewardess (excuse me, flight attendant) aboard, even if she would be performing a vital role in the recovery system.....



G.D.

 

[jadebox]

Before I start this... has anyone any comments on if this will even be allowed? or feasible??

Consider "The Dude," Estes's seven-foot balloon-based rocket. Inflating it with helium only made it a couple of ounces lighter, not nearly enough to make it float. I'm sure Otto's skin is much heavier than the thin mylar The Dude used. So, helium isn't going to make much difference.

-- Roger

 

[BABAR]

Helium is becoming increasingly expensive. You may find that filling with CO2 will be much easier and cheaper. You will be relying on the *size* of Otto to slow his fall instead of his buoyancy, essentially allowing him to become a really oddly shaped parachute.

In other words, Otto is going to be a real drag on this flight.

 

[RocKiteman]

“You ever seen a grown man naked?”

“...have you ever been in a... in a Turkish prison?”

:rofl:

 

[luke strawwalker]

“You ever seen a grown man naked?”

“...have you ever been in a... in a Turkish prison?”

:rofl:

Do you like gladiator movies?? LOL

Later! OL JR