Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!pt.cs.cmu.edu!vi.ri.cmu.edu!rwb
From: rwb@vi.ri.cmu.edu (Bob Berger)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: RE: antigravity
Keywords: electrostatic propulsion
Message-ID: <9980@pt.cs.cmu.edu>
Date: 23 Jul 90 18:42:52 GMT
Organization: Carnegie-Mellon University, CS/RI
Lines: 10


I ordered one of these plans when I was a kid. The device was a mylar balloon
shaped like a flying saucer and filled with helium to achieve neutral
bouyancy. Foil was placed on the top and bottom surfaces, like a big
capacitor. A 10 KV voltage applied to this device could supposedly make it
rise by interacting with the earth/sky 100 V/meter electric field (see the
recent messages about lightning rods for more on this field.

I never tried this. I suspect the forces generated would be very small; 
everything would have to be perfectly balanced.