Comments on: If you live in England or Europe and see a flying island go by… https://habitablezone.com/2011/08/03/if-you-live-in-england-and-see-a-flying-island-go-by/ Sat, 25 Apr 2026 01:00:29 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Eri https://habitablezone.com/2011/08/03/if-you-live-in-england-and-see-a-flying-island-go-by/#comment-4709 Eri Tue, 09 Aug 2011 05:06:36 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=2907#comment-4709 Full name it is. I got so many novels, so little time. I need something to pull these out of my brain full-fledged and print them. Oh God, another novel! Full name it is.

I got so many novels, so little time. I need something to pull these out of my brain full-fledged and print them.

Oh God, another novel!

]]> By: VelociraptorBlade https://habitablezone.com/2011/08/03/if-you-live-in-england-and-see-a-flying-island-go-by/#comment-4685 VelociraptorBlade Mon, 08 Aug 2011 19:29:05 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=2907#comment-4685 Yeah, I imagine it'd be somewhat the size of the Graf Zeppelin, only much wider. After all, we don't want the idea to fall through! And Eri, the full name works fine. :P Yeah, I imagine it’d be somewhat the size of the Graf Zeppelin, only much wider. After all, we don’t want the idea to fall through!

And Eri, the full name works fine. :P

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2011/08/03/if-you-live-in-england-and-see-a-flying-island-go-by/#comment-4561 TB Fri, 05 Aug 2011 17:07:12 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=2907#comment-4561 Of course, if you start putting any real weight on it other than the balloon itself, it's going to have to be a hell of a lot bigger. Of course, if you start putting any real weight on it other than the balloon itself, it’s going to have to be a hell of a lot bigger.

]]> By: Eri https://habitablezone.com/2011/08/03/if-you-live-in-england-and-see-a-flying-island-go-by/#comment-4556 Eri Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:28:05 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=2907#comment-4556 Actually, that is a fantastic idea! The vacation of the future. We could put tipis on it for a real outdoor experience or maybe a bridge for people to sleep under so they can experience what living like a homeless person is like. It would be the slumming vacation purchased by only the wealthiest. What a great idea, VRB! And of course, I'll give you credit. Do you prefer your name spelled out (VelociraptorBlade) or are the intials VRB ok? ;) Actually, that is a fantastic idea! The vacation of the future. We could put tipis on it for a real outdoor experience or maybe a bridge for people to sleep under so they can experience what living like a homeless person is like. It would be the slumming vacation purchased by only the wealthiest.

What a great idea, VRB! And of course, I’ll give you credit. Do you prefer your name spelled out (VelociraptorBlade) or are the intials VRB ok? ;)

]]> By: VelociraptorBlade https://habitablezone.com/2011/08/03/if-you-live-in-england-and-see-a-flying-island-go-by/#comment-4551 VelociraptorBlade Fri, 05 Aug 2011 07:40:35 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=2907#comment-4551 -_- Got your ad the first time. It's on my to-do reading list right next to Spaceship Earth, which should be just as hard to find as Barlowe's Guide to Extraterrestrials. -_- Got your ad the first time. It’s on my to-do reading list right next to Spaceship Earth, which should be just as hard to find as Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials.

]]> By: podrock https://habitablezone.com/2011/08/03/if-you-live-in-england-and-see-a-flying-island-go-by/#comment-4547 podrock Fri, 05 Aug 2011 04:56:59 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=2907#comment-4547 (best read that Bucky Fuller book, what with the floating sphere cities and all...) (best read that Bucky Fuller book, what with the floating sphere cities and all…)

]]> By: VelociraptorBlade https://habitablezone.com/2011/08/03/if-you-live-in-england-and-see-a-flying-island-go-by/#comment-4544 VelociraptorBlade Fri, 05 Aug 2011 04:45:41 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=2907#comment-4544 Great Eri. Now I'm thinking on the engineering aspects of a flying island and how to make one livable. Let's see..... Perhaps a good airtight helium zeppelin, shaped to fit the purpose, would serve as the base of the structure. I imagine it'd need small engines to help it maneuver easily, yet some well disguised attachments to the thing to help create drag, and to stop it from moving around constantly. There could be weights at the bottom (perhaps a hidden gondola?) within the ship. The flight path of the island could be managed here, perhaps with crew/emergency living quarters (emergency being tough weather) Coat the whole bottom of the ship with fake dirt and rock; make a container on top of the thing to hold a 4-5 foot deep environs of your choice, perhaps a pool to serve as a miniature lake or ocean; some small shanty for the guests to live in (suitably constructed to blend in with the created environment), and you have a floating island suitable for living on. Oh, and let's not forget the bar (keep the pilots away). I don't think the thing could stay up in the air indefinitely , but It might serve as a luxury cruise skyboat of some kind. It'd probably have to go around pre-charted areas with exceptionally good weather and air currents to ensure safety, so no Atlantic cruises. Still, interesting food for thought. ....And it has just now occurred to me that you might find this suitable for one of your sci-fi stories. I DEMAND CREDIT Great Eri. Now I’m thinking on the engineering aspects of a flying island and how to make one livable.

Let’s see…..
Perhaps a good airtight helium zeppelin, shaped to fit the purpose, would serve as the base of the structure.
I imagine it’d need small engines to help it maneuver easily, yet some well disguised attachments to the thing to help create drag, and to stop it from moving around constantly.
There could be weights at the bottom (perhaps a hidden gondola?) within the ship. The flight path of the island could be managed here, perhaps with crew/emergency living quarters (emergency being tough weather)
Coat the whole bottom of the ship with fake dirt and rock; make a container on top of the thing to hold a 4-5 foot deep environs of your choice, perhaps a pool to serve as a miniature lake or ocean; some small shanty for the guests to live in (suitably constructed to blend in with the created environment), and you have a floating island suitable for living on. Oh, and let’s not forget the bar (keep the pilots away).

I don’t think the thing could stay up in the air indefinitely , but It might serve as a luxury cruise skyboat of some kind. It’d probably have to go around pre-charted areas with exceptionally good weather and air currents to ensure safety, so no Atlantic cruises. Still, interesting food for thought.

….And it has just now occurred to me that you might find this suitable for one of your sci-fi stories. I DEMAND CREDIT

]]> By: Eri https://habitablezone.com/2011/08/03/if-you-live-in-england-and-see-a-flying-island-go-by/#comment-4539 Eri Thu, 04 Aug 2011 22:52:54 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=2907#comment-4539 I'd jump on it if it has a hot tub. I’d jump on it if it has a hot tub.

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