The Big Lift

To passers-by in Wilmington, Del., last week, the strange round, candy-striped craft might have looked like the UFO sighting of the century. As it hovered above the ground, the large sphere--as well as the four long wings sticking out of its sides--rotated slowly, like some ominous unearthly creature. In fact, the odd contraption was a practical terrestrial creation. Designed by the All American Engineering Co. of Wilmington, Del., the Aerocrane, as it is called, is an unlikely cross between helicopter and balloon. It should easily outperform both in at least one important respect: the ability to hoist huge weights straight up from the ground and transport them across the countryside.

Unlike dirigibles and other lighter-than-air ships, the Aerocrane gets only 40% of its lifting capacity from its helium-filled sphere. The rest comes from the rotation of its wings, which can be pitched as they whirl around to control ascent and descent. This gives the chopper-balloon a distinct advantage over traditional lighter-than-air ships, which must drop ballast or spill their gas when taking on or unloading any cargo. Yet because of the buoyancy provided by its supply of helium, the Aerocrane should be able to loft heavy cargo much more efficiently than a conventional helicopter.

Last week's test involved a working model consisting of a 15-ft.-diameter sphere with 9-ft.-long wings powered by 1/4h.p. electric motors at their tips. Spurred by a $65,000 Navy contract, the firm is now studying the prospect of building full-size Aerocranes with spheres as large as 180 ft. across and wings of 126 ft. Powered by four 4,000-h.p. turboprop wing engines, the giant ship should be able to lift weights up to 90 tons--more than twice as much as any existing helicopter. Spinning slowly (8.6 r.p.m.), it will cruise cross-country at a speed of 47 m.p.h. with its crew sitting in a nonrotating cab suspended beneath the sphere.

The poky Aerocrane probably will never be practical as a people mover, but it could be economically put to other uses. Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater, a strong advocate of lighter-than-air vehicles, is encouraging the Senate Aeronautical and Space Sciences Committee to study the potential of blimps, dirigibles and hybrid airships as bulk cargo transporters during hearings this summer. All American Engineering already foresees such chores for its Aerocranes as lifting logs out of remote timberland, unloading container ships that are too large to come into port, and delivering fully prefabricated houses directly from factory to home site.

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