Return of the Blimp?
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Join Date: Feb 2007
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Return of the Blimp?
With all the doom and gloom being posted lately as a result of the credit crunch, high oil costs and the usual such as rosters, T's & C's and Management... here's something a little different.
Are we likely to see airships grace our skies again in the near future?
Yes they're slow compared to a jet a/c but...
Are we likely to see airships grace our skies again in the near future?
Yes they're slow compared to a jet a/c but...
- Are they less costly to operate?
- Will they keep the "green squad" at bay?
- With todays technology surely we can overcome safety concerns?
- Are they a viable alternative to longhaul leisure flights?
- Could they be a serious mass transport alternative?
- Could they save some jobs? (flight crew/cabin crew/maint' etc..)
Join Date: Mar 2006
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Every few years we see an attempted revival of the airship, usually for ' heavy freight ' purposes, or for AEW though it would make such a tempting target I hope an unmanned version might be possible for that !
I believe the modern descendants of the Zepellin co. have a fairly viable smallish job, with designs for a very large one if they get funding.
I seem to remember there's a problem supplying / producing enough Helium, though that's probably a WW1 throwback, and strong winds are still going to be a snag.
Suspect the actual manufacture of the envelope, engines etc may still not be very 'green' but I doubt it would mess with the Ionosphere !
I rather fancied the British 'Skyhook' - nothing to do with the Harrier scheme of the same name - of years ago, which had a semi ( ? ) rigid envelope and was shaped like a flying saucer, which might be less vulnerable to crosswinds - less useful volume too ? - and would be great for buzzing drunk hippies near Stonehenge.
I think it had a central ducted fan job for the vertical component, but either it was a gleam in some mad designer's eye or may have been the old story of a world beater which didn't get funded...
Though I'm all for aviation and suspect there may be a future market for the airship, I reckon a much 'greener' freight transport system for most jobs is a decent canal network, as still seen in Europe - not the piddly little UK system.
I believe the modern descendants of the Zepellin co. have a fairly viable smallish job, with designs for a very large one if they get funding.
I seem to remember there's a problem supplying / producing enough Helium, though that's probably a WW1 throwback, and strong winds are still going to be a snag.
Suspect the actual manufacture of the envelope, engines etc may still not be very 'green' but I doubt it would mess with the Ionosphere !
I rather fancied the British 'Skyhook' - nothing to do with the Harrier scheme of the same name - of years ago, which had a semi ( ? ) rigid envelope and was shaped like a flying saucer, which might be less vulnerable to crosswinds - less useful volume too ? - and would be great for buzzing drunk hippies near Stonehenge.
I think it had a central ducted fan job for the vertical component, but either it was a gleam in some mad designer's eye or may have been the old story of a world beater which didn't get funded...
Though I'm all for aviation and suspect there may be a future market for the airship, I reckon a much 'greener' freight transport system for most jobs is a decent canal network, as still seen in Europe - not the piddly little UK system.
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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.
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.
It could be a possible solution for the future.
Having seen the Stella Artois airship over London I'd love to see more of them about. I was fascinated by it, have last seen one flying over my school over a decade ago.
Admittedly I was one of the few people in the park to pay any attention to it
Guess I'll just have to stick with avoiding hot air balloons for the time being
Admittedly I was one of the few people in the park to pay any attention to it
Guess I'll just have to stick with avoiding hot air balloons for the time being
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Helium is a natural part of our atmosphere. You get it by freezing air and split the gases (nitrogen, oxygen aso). That's how you produce the oxygen you have in your bottles on your aircraft or the hospital or the gases in your neon light.
Since the helium gases are not consumend, i.e. they are not converted, they stay in the atmosphere even after use. An airship doesn't "burn" it, it goes back to the atmosphere as soon as it exits the airship.
Dani
Since the helium gases are not consumend, i.e. they are not converted, they stay in the atmosphere even after use. An airship doesn't "burn" it, it goes back to the atmosphere as soon as it exits the airship.
Dani
