Chaps....its not a blimp ...or even an airship.. its a hybrid air vehicle...and its made in the UK.
Payload starts at 20 metric tons rising to 1000 tons.
3 1/2 day range cruising at 100 knots between 5 and 10 thousand feet.
vectored thrust gas turbine engines, fully powered flight contols, fly by wire, and with amphibious landing capability.
Its need no ground crew or mooring mast and self taxis like a hovercraft.
lifting body shape generates 40% of its lift from aerodynamic effects.
No airport required. a flat green field will do nicely....or a patch of african desert.
Replace 10 cargo aircraft at 15% of the operating cost.
And this one you really could land at a ferry terminal.
Gotta think out of the box folks. I love my 757 but there are other ways to fly that are just as exciting and maybe more appropriate for our futures.
The second prototype gets airborne soon.
Lets not get started with passengers.......transatlantic in a day and a half, and overnight in your own bed...internet access....mobile phones...walk around chill ...talk...
Just how much of a hurry are people really in to get from A to B if the price is right.
There is always room for speed, but it will come at a premium, and maybe more leisurely travel might actually be a good thing.
The real future of this technology though is Cargo, and quite a few oceanic/surveillance missions.
Inflight refuelling will keep one of these up for months!
Google hybrid air vehicles and check it out.