GTS
Flexible has considerable experience with the
supply of specialist materials for balloons.
 Helium
Filled Lighting Balloons. The problem: You are making
a major film that is set in the grandeur of the magnificent
Brasserie Lipp in Paris. There is not enough natural
light for filming and so you need to produce a powerful
and diffused source of artificial illumination, but
are not allowed to fasten anything to the historic
panelled ceilings or build gantries, and you cannot
have the lights reflected in the mirrored walls. What
do you do?
The
answer: Fabricate helium filled cylinders of white
fabric that float to the ceiling. The cylinders, which
are three metres in length and one
metre in diameter float at ceiling level without the
need for any fixings and cast an even white illumination
from their 4Kw internal light sources. The film was
"Surviving Picasso", a Merchant Ivory film
starring Sir Anthony Hopkins.
Balloons
For The Exploration Of Rainforest Canopies: A balloon
was required for the exploration of rainforest canopies
that was both lightweight and strong. The envelope
was made from tough fabric reinforced plastic material
(supplied by GTS Flexible) that was UV degradation
resistant. It contained 350 cubic metres of helium
and was designed
for low
drag and maximum manoeuvrability.
The
airship was powered by a small electric motor from
lightweight batteries. A nickel-hydrogen battery,
with an energy rating of 55 Whr/kg was used that
was trickle charged by flexible solar panels mounted
on the airship envelope. This power system allowed
the airship a flight speed of 10 knots, sufficiently
high for flying in calm or light breeze conditions
for at least two hours.
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