Pick a blimp, any blimp

[Ele]

Reading the talk here about airtraffic being grounded due the Iceland volcano eruption ash, and of a world without oil or aeroplanes ....and of Bella Fortuna's excitement that her jet pack will become a reality... got me thinking about Blimps. Zeppelins. Airships... could they be the way of the future?

20 sustainable airships promising a clean future of transportation and surveillance

^ Which blimp impresses you most and where would you travel to in it?

[Faithfree]

Just as long as they're not filled with hydrogen. That all ended in tears.

[Deep Sea Isopod]

And what happens when the HE reserves run out?

[Faithfree]

And what happens when the HE reserves run out?

Actually a good point - most people don't realise that helium comes out of oil and gas wells. It is one of the 'impurities' refined out of natural gas, which, if present in high enough concentration, is commercially captured.

[Ele]

Many of the airship models employ solar energy. Although hydrogen and helium are still mentioned. Hydrogen has had a stigma attached to it since the Hindenburg disaster, for sure, although investigations have found that hydrogen was not the main cause of the fire. The surface of the Hindenburg was coated in iron oxide and reflective aluminium paint which are highly flammable. As the Hindenburg docked during an electrical storm lightning could have sparked a fire on the surface skin, causing the hydrogen gasbags beneath to eventually succumb to the heat and then the onboard stores of diesel fuel to catch fire. The hydrogen itself is very light and difficult to ignite and if it is ignited it burns out very quickly. But hydrogen got a bad rap which has hindered its technological development as an alternative motor fuel. Those horrific images remain with us but with more sophisticated technology maybe hydrogen's potential shouldn't be disregarded.

[Faithfree]

Actually, I like the idea of travelling across the sky in a large airship. Large enough that you could wander around - sit up at the bar for a while - or go to the restaurant with panoramic views. Better than being cooped up in normal cattle class air travel.

[Faithfree]

Many of the airship models employ solar energy.

They would stull need something to make them lighter than air. Either hydrogen, helium (non flammable), or hot air, the last of which might be able to be generated by solar power, but I doubt if it would be very efficient and would need constant sun light.

[Ele]

I guess travel on an airship would be quite cruisy and leisurely compared to high speed jetsetting. A 747 travels at around 900mph. The high speed solar airship doesn't even attain 200mph, even with "jet stream boosts". The other airship models boast speeds of below 100mph.

[leo-rcc]

But hydrogen got a bad rap which has hindered its technological development as an alternative motor fuel. Those horrific images remain with us but with more sophisticated technology maybe hydrogen's potential shouldn't be disregarded.

100% agreed. Also, the Germans had to use Hydrogen because the US would not supply the Germans with Helium. Other airships have flown for many years and not had a single problem, also those on Hydrogen. The Graf Zepplin which was designed for hydrogen (which the Hindenburg wasn't) flew more than 1.5 million kilometers with a terrific safety record.

[Thinking Aloud]

I guess travel on an airship would be quite cruisy and leisurely compared to high speed jetsetting. A 747 travels at around 900mph. The high speed solar airship doesn't even attain 200mph, even with "jet stream boosts". The other airship models boast speeds of below 100mph.

747s usually travel in the 500-600 mph range, as anything over about 660 at those altitudes breaks the sound barrier.

[leo-rcc]

I really like the idea of a sterling engine on a blimp, that's pretty clever.

[Faithfree]

But hydrogen got a bad rap which has hindered its technological development as an alternative motor fuel. Those horrific images remain with us but with more sophisticated technology maybe hydrogen's potential shouldn't be disregarded.

100% agreed. Also, the Germans had to use Hydrogen because the US would not supply the Germans with Helium. Other airships have flown for many years and not had a single problem, also those on Hydrogen. The Graf Zepplin which was designed for hydrogen (which the Hindenburg wasn't) flew more than 1.5 million kilometers with a terrific safety record.

When you think about it, a normal airliner is essentially a flying fuel tank, so when things go badly wrong it all ends up in a fireball. Hydrogen filled blimps are thus no worse.

[Ele]

I guess travel on an airship would be quite cruisy and leisurely compared to high speed jetsetting. A 747 travels at around 900mph. The high speed solar airship doesn't even attain 200mph, even with "jet stream boosts". The other airship models boast speeds of below 100mph.

747s usually travel in the 500-600 mph range, as anything over about 660 at those altitudes breaks the sound barrier.

I stand corrected. I must've been getting my miles and kilometres mixed up.
Anyhow, blimps don't seem to have the propulsion to go anywhere near as fast as a passenger jet so we could have a nice leisurely time wandering around and hanging out the bar like Faithfree suggested... if we were rich enough to buy a ticket on one, I suppose.

[Pappa]

When you think about it, a normal airliner is essentially a flying fuel tank, so when things go badly wrong it all ends up in a fireball. Hydrogen filled blimps are thus no worse.

Would someone be able to turn a hydrogen filled airship into a roaring fireball with nothing more than a sniper rifle?

[Faithfree]

When you think about it, a normal airliner is essentially a flying fuel tank, so when things go badly wrong it all ends up in a fireball. Hydrogen filled blimps are thus no worse.

Would someone be able to turn a hydrogen filled airship into a roaring fireball with nothing more than a sniper rifle?

Good point.