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"What has allowed so many Psychopathic Personalities to rise so high in corporations and government, is that they are so decisive. Unlike normal people, they are never filled with doubts, for the simple reason that they cannot care what happens next."
- Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Skyhook  
  Part dirigible, part plane.  

There was a loud hiss, and a great ghostly bag formed. It began to rise until it was above my platform. The plastic gleamed in the artificial light streaming from inside the warehouse. The bag billowed until it was huge above us, and still it grew as the compressed helium poured out of the inflating cylinders...

The choppers settled onto the bags. Up on top the helicopter crews were floundering around on the billowing stuff to make certain the fastenings were set right...

The troops outside were grinning at us as they cut loose the tethers holding the balloons. Nothing happened, of course; the idea of Skyhook is to have almost neutral buoyancy, so that the lift from the gas bags just balances the weight of the load.

Technovelgy from West of Honor, by Jerry Pournelle.
Published by Simon and Schuster in 1976
Additional resources -

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Additional resources:
  More Ideas and Technology from West of Honor
  More Ideas and Technology by Jerry Pournelle
  Tech news articles related to West of Honor
  Tech news articles related to works by Jerry Pournelle

Skyhook-related news articles:
  - Dynalifter Prototype Ready For Flight
  - Skyhook Jess Heavy Lifter Like Pournelle's Skyhook
  - Could Blimps Replace Planes For Cargo?

Articles related to Transportation
CORLEO Robotic Horse Concept Looks Ready To Ride
Futuristic Transit Elevated Bus Never Really Worked
Japan Automated Cargo Transport
Tesla Electric 'Giga Train' Operational In Germany

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