Cameron Skystar

Skystar (DP series)
Role Hot-air airship
National origin United Kingdom
Manufacturer Cameron Balloons
First flight 1986

The Cameron Skystar or DP series is a family of hot-air airships designed and built in the United Kingdom by Cameron Balloons for recreational and advertising use.[1] The first DP series airship flew in 1986.[1] In the 1990 World Hot-air airships the DP series won 1st, 2nd and 3rd places.[1]

Design and development

The airship has an aluminium gondola with room for a pilot and a passenger,[1] except the smaller DP-50 which only has room for a pilot.[2] The four variants (DP60, DP70, DP80 and DP90) have envelope sizes from 1700m3 to 2548m3.[1] The DP-50, DP-60 and DP-70 use a 570cc Konig Model SD engine, with a Konig 3-bladed propeller in a shroud as standard.[2] The DP80 and DP90 use a Rotax 582UL piston engine with a three-bladed pusher propeller in a shroud. The Konig can also be used on the larger airships and the Rotax on the DP-60 and DP-70 as an option.[1] Each airship is also fitted with two propane tanks for the buoyancy burners.[1]

Variants

Cameron DP-50
The DP-50 has a 50000 cu ft envelope.[2]
Cameron DP-60
The DP-60 has a 60000 cu ft envelope[2] and is 30.48m (100ft) long.[1]
Cameron DP-70
The DP-70 has a 70000 cu ft envelope[2] and is 32.31m (106ft) long.[1]
Cameron DP-80
The DP-80 has an 80000 cu ft envelope[2] and is 33.838m (111ft) long.[1]
Cameron DP-90
The DP-90 has a 90000 cu ft envelope[2] and is 35.05m (115ft) long.[1]

Specification (DP-90)

Data from [1][2]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1 pilot
  • Capacity: 1 passengers
  • Length: 35.05 m (115 ft 0 in)
  • Diameter: 12.80 m (42 ft 0 in)
  • Height: 15.54 m (51 ft 0 in)
  • Volume: 2,500 m3 (90,000 cu ft)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 582UL piston engine with hush kit
  • Propellers: 3-bladed GSC 3 blade Model Tech II pusher in shroud, 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) diameter

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 27 km/h (17 mph, 15 kn)

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Taylor 1996, p. 546
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Civil Aviation Authority Type Certificate Data Sheet No. BAS 3, Issue 3 dated August 2001" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 May 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2012.

Bibliography