Other Applications for this invention
Basically this invention is a proposal for a unique design of flying boat capable of being built in sizes which are far beyond the scope of current conventional aircraft. This brochure has been prepared to examine in some detail the application of the invention to a new proposed way of suppressing the development of hurricanes which is only made practical by the special characteristics of the proposed flying boat.
There are however other applications of the invention to which its special characteristics could bring huge benefit. The first that comes to mind is the fighting of forest fires. An aircraft with a span of say 500m carrying 500 tonnes of water would be able to fly broadly along a fire front with thermal sensors controlling the discharges from the aircraft both time wise and laterally across the span to strike at the hot spots. Obviously this application would only be relevant within say 60 miles or so of the ocean or other large body of water to which the craft could return to refill the tanks. However a major proportion of human activity is concentrated in this area and increasingly threatened by forest fires.
This would be done in flight using scoops and would take no more than 2 mins plus the return time to the water source.
Another possibility is for the speedy provision of international relief and support to areas struck by major natural disasters, particular where the local infrastructure (airports, roads, port facilities, etc) has been destroyed. In this case the need to be adjacent to water areas for landing is probably more severe and there would be a need for small boats to get the materials transferred to the shore.
General freight is also a possibility where there is a need for speed but the speed and cost of conventional aircraft is not justified. However this possibillity requires the development of specialist port facilities and is long term at best.
One can also visualise the possibility of a land-based agricultural freight version able to operate from open savannah country where there is not as yet any significant ground infrastructure. The aircraft would be fitted with large diameter wheels and very low pressure tyres enabling it to operate off unprepared ground the only requirement being that the ground should be substantially flat. The aircraft would fly in all supplies including fuel and fly out the product.