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| Lot number | 9 |
|---|---|
| Hammer value | £2,000 |
| Description | Air Buoyant VertiPod |
| Year | c.2000 |
The brain-child of development engineers at US-based Air Buoyant, innovators in aerospace technologies, the VertiPod was intended as a home-build VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) ultra-light aircraft.
Somewhat ambitiously dubbed 'The Segway of the Skies', its proposed $10,000 price tag (and if we are truthful, rather scary mode of operation) kept the project firmly at the prototype stage. Still, the company used its experience to develop a new product called the ThrustStick (ooh missus!), an electric powered ‘thruster’ used singly or in multiples to power, or simply steer, air-borne craft. Used in a number of military applications, the company has further diversified into wind power and engineering work for the light aircraft industry.
Thought to date from around 2000, this early prototype VertiPod does indeed fly, the vendor confirming that he fired it up and had a go in the courtyard near his house. Described as an "exciting" maiden flight, he has just about put the plants back in their pots and replenished his supply of clean underpants, the one flight being quite enough to confirm what he needed to know, thank you very much. The small petrol engine ran well although he was unable to test the claimed 15 feet height ceiling and 40mph land speed – his sense of self-preservation outliving his bravery by some margin!
Steered by simply leaning in the desired direction, there is only a throttle control so quite literally any fool can fly it, although as the pilot is standing on top of the air intake, it can get a bit breezy down there (not to say alarming!). Certainly one of the more interesting flying objects that Brightwells has had the pleasure to offer, this prototype VertiPod is available at a mere fraction of its development costs and given enough nerve could be flown home from the sale today.
It may interest bidders to note that there are a number of YouTube clips of VertiPod flight which make for entertaining viewing, especially if you aren't the one with his assets dangling above the whirling fan blade!
