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Model Forum / General / Models / March 2010Return of the airship?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1248159/Aircruise-touted-scenic-new- millennium-luxury-ships-floating-U-S-37-hours.html#ixzz0eWqAEAo5 Now this is interesting. But the shape looks wrong and they are using hydrogen as the lifting gas? Whose brilliant idea was that? What country will allow it into it's airspace? Anyway I had thought they would make a comeback but I figured more for heavy lift and for delivery to areas that would make final delivery by rail or truck difficult due to size, shape or weight of cargo. Any thoughts? > http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1248159/Aircruise-touted-scenic-new- > millennium-luxury-ships-floating-U-S-37-hours.html#ixzz0eWqAEAo5 [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Any thoughts? ...hydrogen? Hmmnnn...I think not. Cargo? Too slow, too much gas/structure required per pound of cargo compared to rail or conventional air/sea transport. But as for the shape - new concept, vertical design that would be far easier to dock/land in urban areas. Sort of like a "VTOL airship" instead of a more ship-like one. Drop a line, pull straight down - a bit more like a free balloon. Very interesting idea. Like others, I'm left wondering how you drive/steer the thing...  Signature- Rufus > http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1248159/Aircruise-touted-scenic-new- > millennium-luxury-ships-floating-U-S-37-hours.html#ixzz0eWqAEAo5 'Tis a hoax. (And it is /only/ a hoax.) Cheers, Gary B-) > http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1248159/Aircruise-touted-scenic-new- > millennium-luxury-ships-floating-U-S-37-hours.html#ixzz0eWqAEAo5 [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Any thoughts? We have made great strides in handling hydrogen. Gasoline is very wicked, almost as bad as hydrogen, and we had gasoline-fueled airliners. I do expect that future airships that are cargo-only may indeed use hydrogen, but the public probably wouldn't fly on hydrogen passenger airships because of Hindenberg syndrome. Remember, about 50% of the passengers survived the Hindenberg crash. I can remember scores of crashes with jet fuel where no one survived. > >http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1248159/Aircruise-touted-scen... > > millennium-luxury-ships-floating-U-S-37-hours.html#ixzz0eWqAEAo5 [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > Remember, about 50% of the passengers survived the Hindenberg crash. I > can remember scores of crashes with jet fuel where no one survived. I don't think that hydrogen as being the lifting gas, but rather hydrogen cells for power. I can see this becoming popular with tourist travelers; business critters who have to be there NOW, will still use jets. >> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1248159/Aircruise-touted-scenic-n >> ew- millennium-luxury-ships-floating-U-S-37-hours.html#ixzz0eWqAEAo5 [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > Remember, about 50% of the passengers survived the Hindenberg crash. I > can remember scores of crashes with jet fuel where no one survived. That may be but the Hindenberg was filmed during the crash, something airliner crashs don't generally have. It is also something more of an historical event than any other air crash. SignatureGod, guns and guts made America great. And Janet Napolitano nervous. Which should tell you all you need to know about Democrats. How can one restore America to greatness if greatness makes you uncomfortable? >>> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1248159/Aircruise-touted-scenic-n >>> ew- millennium-luxury-ships-floating-U-S-37-hours.html#ixzz0eWqAEAo5 [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > airliner crashs don't generally have. It is also something more of an > historical event than any other air crash. Small point, the explosive range of hydrogen is greater than gasolene, but in terms of bang for buck the airship does have an edge. In the UK a shipping company was planning on trying one for high value freight in containers between Canada and the UK (Manchester Liners, they got bought by C Y Tung and the plan was dropped), the Soviets were interested as to use helicopters to access the oil fields in the wilds of siberia would use more energy than the oil would provide, the roads are non existent and building a railroad would take time (last I heard they were building a railroad, but I am not sure about that). They were thinking of using helium (three times as heavy as hydrogen) but heating it to improve the lift. I would have thought that for jobs like taking tourists around national parks an airship would be the way to go, power upwind and drift back across the scenery and wildlife silently, then power back to the hotel for dinner. I seem to remember airships actually have a fairly good safety record (Hindenburg was painted with what amounted to thermite, seldom a good idea, and the R101 was virtually thrown together with known 'issues' about the gas bags brushing the structure). Baron von Z had to build his in a lake as the structure was not self supporting until complete, he build a floating hangar and had steam tugs dragged in overland. On the big day the assembled worthies got a real show, orchestra hidden on an island playing something suitably Wagnarian as out of the mist the biggest thing they had ever seen (the floating hangar) slowly emerged with the tugs chugging away. The tugs went into reverse, pulling the hangar back to reveal the airship. The count, with obligatory leather helmet and long white scarf, went out in a steam launch and borded. The engines fired up and she lifted into the air - They managed to get out of sight before her back broke and she had to come down. Modern nutters just lack style I feel. Regards Mike On Feb 6, 10:37 am, grey_ghost471-newsgro...@yahoo.com (Gray Ghost) wrote: > http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1248159/Aircruise-touted-scen... > millennium-luxury-ships-floating-U-S-37-hours.html#ixzz0eWqAEAo5 [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Any thoughts? A good 20 years ago or more back when I was flight testing for a living, there was a German company that was planning to bring back the Zeppelin, mainly for cargo runs in Europe or in Africa where its not practical to move bulk cargo. Don't know if they ever got backers or got anything going. Might have been helium or something else for lift, would have been updated with all the latest gizmos for guidance and control, onboard RADAR for weather. all that, supposedly much safer than original. Paper might be in one of the AIAA archives, it was at one of the LA presentations. > On Feb 6, 10:37 am, grey_ghost471-newsgro...@yahoo.com (Gray Ghost) > wrote: [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > Paper might be in one of the AIAA archives, it was at one of the LA > presentations. Not only that, but Revell AG even made a model of it, or at least one of their proof of concepts. The model looked similar to a standard Goodyear in shape and outline. On Feb 9, 6:46 am, frank <dhssresearc...@netscape.net> wrote: > On Feb 6, 10:37 am, grey_ghost471-newsgro...@yahoo.com (Gray Ghost) > wrote: [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > Paper might be in one of the AIAA archives, it was at one of the LA > presentations. Not only that, but Revell AG even made a model of it, or at least one of their proof of concepts. The model looked similar to a standard Goodyear in shape and outline. Knowing I have a fondness for airships a friend sent me a link . . . http://rt.com/Sci_Tech/2010-03-03/russia-flying-saucer-airship.html Russian airship development programme. Maybe I'll get a ride one day after all. Regards Mike >Not only that, but Revell AG even made a model of it, or at least one >of their proof of concepts. The model looked similar to a standard >Goodyear in shape and outline. ...Except for the "Flying Saucer" and/or "Balloon Boy" models, most if not all of the major attempts to revive the airship have all looked like knockoffs of the Goodyear Blimp in shape and size. And that's the problem. Backers are expecting *real* airships of the kind Herr Zeppelin made, and that's not what the designers are going for. OM Signature]=====================================[ ] OMBlog - http://www.io.com/~o_m/omworld [ ] Let's face it: Sometimes you *need* [ ] an obnoxious opinion in your day! [ ]=====================================[ |
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