Dissatisfied with existing designs, a small Amherst, Mass., company called Skyacht Aircraft is working on building a better hot-air balloon.
Actually, Skyacht is touting its project as a "personal blimp"--that is, "a hot-air balloon that can be maneuvered in nearly perfect quiet," according to the company's Web site. The latest version of the aircraft, dubbed Alberto, passed a milestone in October, when it made its first flight.
Alberto, named after aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont, is 102 feet long and has a 70-foot diameter. Since October, it has completed 10 hours of Phase I flight testing to meet Federal Aviation Authority requirements.
Photo by Skyacht Aircraft
