I’m sure that such a thing must exist. It seems so obvious. I just haven’t found it yet.-- DrBob, Jun 23 2003 Portable Ceiling Fan http://www.halfbake...ble_20Ceiling_20Fanjurist's anno mentions using a model helicopter *as* a ceiling fan, but that's not quite the same thing. [DrBob, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004] Room Cooler http://www.halfbake.../idea/Room_20CoolerI’m gonna guess you’re looking for something smaller [Shz, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004] Not a helicopter http://www.littman-...ns.com/wb348ts.html [half, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004] Good idea doctor. + from me-- shazam, Jun 23 2003 A helicopter shaped light kit?-- half, Jun 23 2003 Will this ceiling fan have a rotor assembly like a helicopter that would allow one to direct the breeze to a specific area of a room?-- TitaniumZ, Jun 23 2003 What rotor assembly would that be?-- bristolz, Jun 23 2003 Since a helicopter moves horizontally by changing the angle of attack of the blade as the blade moves around and tilting the rotor, using the same assembly on this fan could likely tilt the rotor (the fan) and direct the airflow in the room.-- TitaniumZ, Jun 23 2003 //and direct the airflow in the room.// .... which would also produce a substantial lateral thrust on the mounting mechanism.
For added realism, how about a little animatronic pilot and passengers that scream in terror whenever the power to the hub is cut and they're still in the air ? You could go all the way and insist that it's professionally maintained every 25 flight hours, and if you don't, it crashes to the ground and bursts into flames the next time you use it. Every now and again, it does that anyway, even if you've paid for the maintainance. Meanwhile, the fixed-wing light aircraft fan next to it only needs maintaining every 50 hours, and if it fails, it glides to a graceful landing on the carpet.
(+)-- 8th of 7, Jun 23 2003 Brutal yet realistic...pure [8th] genius.-- silverstormer, Jun 23 2003 [DrBob]: I like this, a lot. +
[8th]: You are baiting me. Been smokin' the salvia?-- bristolz, Jun 23 2003 In this fan kit, one pull of the chain would start the main rotor, making an ordinary fan. Another pull would turn on the running lights of the helicopter, making for a sweet nightlight. A final pull would start up the tail rotor - since the helicopter is anchored at the center the tail would swing around in circles.
Man o man. Look at the bread this thing is sucking up.-- bungston, Jun 23 2003 Cool! Perhaps it should look like a police helicopter so that you can have a spotlight attached for added utility? +-- X2Entendre, Jun 23 2003 // You are baiting me. //
"Moi ? Noooooo." <Innocent look>
[Bungston], [X2Entendre] - nice !-- 8th of 7, Jun 24 2003 Mmmm! Pastry! Thanks folks! bungston, X2Entendre. Yes, I thought about having a searchlight-type effect. Using Mag-lite's would give that creepy, searchlight effect rather nicely. Especially if it incorporated bungston's tail rotor so that, as the helicopter rotates, the searchlight sweeps around the room. I'm not keen on the tilting rotor assembly. As 8th points out, it would put a lot of stress on the mechanism. It would require a lot of engineering, I guess, to make it work. It might be easier to just tilt the body of the chopper without moving the rotors. As for Zanzibar's Hellfire system. In the 'Apache' model the weapons pods will be those electric fly zapper thingies so you'll get a little spark every now and again and a small body plummeting out of the air. Will that do?-- DrBob, Jun 24 2003 If I turned it off, would it auto-rotate to the floor?
More importantly, would it make chopity chop noises?-- rapid transit, Jun 24 2003 What a totaly awesome idea! man the halfbakery kicks ass! sorry but im new here and its just so cool.-- Rich_Mussel, Jun 24 2003 its certainly cool in here now with our new helicopter ceiling fan.-- po, Jun 24 2003 //In the 'Apache' model //
It crashes to the floor at the slightest provocation.-- FloridaManatee, Jun 24 2003 // crashes to the floor // and then the news media crowds in to take pictures of vandalic brats with flyswatters gloating over the wreckage-- lurch, Jun 24 2003 Not quite what I had in mind, no.-- DrBob, Jun 24 2003 [Song mode].....you spin me right round baby..right round...[ end song mode ]-- skinflaps, Jun 24 2003 Might I suggest the helicopter has a thin cable attached by a winch assembly mounted on the ceiling. the person who needs cooling can manouver the helicopter, using a joystick remote control thingy, to just the right spot. The cable unwinds as the helicopter moves, then when the power is switched off the winch pulls the helicopter back to its central location on the ceiling.-- Micky Dread, Jun 26 2003 "Shoes first and ask questions later", eh ?-- 8th of 7, Jun 26 2003 // before the new puppy gets them// How about a ceiling fan with tennis balls stuck to the blades. That would keep the puppies endlessly entertained...at least until their heads fell off.-- pluterday, Jun 26 2003 Might be a bit dangerous when you get out of bed in the middle of the night, pluter. I see problems with a) being smacked in the face by a high speed tennis ball causing you to stumble around blindly in the dark with a bloody nose and leading inevitably to b) having your feet savaged by the dog. Of course followed by hopping around on one leg, howling in pain and leading farcically back to a) again. I think we can live without either, but thanks for the suggestion.-- DrBob, Jul 01 2003 What about when you throw bread at it? Would make a crumby mess!!-- PaddyPat, Aug 12 2003 Great Idea... I made one last year that has blades shaped like the main rotor form a Bell 206, complete with pitch change links to change the amount of air that is moved by the blades... when it's running it sounds like you're under one at flight idle. This year is looking at servos and a remote to change the pitch of the blades 'on the fly'...
I do like the searchlight and weapons ideas. I have a couple of cats....-- asclepio, Aug 23 2003 The unique advantage of this fan is that it would not require attachment to the ceiling at all. Just run the power cord/tether to any spot on the floor and hold it down with a brick. The fan would hover vertically above.-- Fussass, Aug 24 2003 Put on some Wagner and turn on the fan?-- theircompetitor, Jan 25 2004 good one! +-- nomadic_wonderer, Jan 28 2004 I thought this was going to be a ceiling fan IN a helicopter! Why? Just for the symmetry.-- simonj, Apr 01 2004 Great idea, but it's been done. I've seen several, mostly in the reception area of Helicopter Flight Training Centers.
However in saying that there is potential for a much improved versions with accessories such as the powered winch, Hellfire weapons system for yappy dogs, and even spy cam.
All the best-- Kiwi, Oct 18 2006 Verry Nice Idea :)-- grim, Jan 12 2008 Patentable (Design patent, not a utility patent) and probably pretty marketable. I would have wanted one as a kid.-- doctorremulac3, Jan 12 2008 //like a police helicopter so that you can have a spotlight attached for added utility? +// Shine it on that potplant and bust yourself.-- yikes!!!, Jan 12 2008 random, halfbakery