Why are we not developing dirigibles for cargo and/or passenger use?

Question

Given that we now have helium to make fires like the Hindenburg impossible, and given that they use so much less fuel than conventional aircraft, isn't it time we considered using lighter than air for at least some of our air traffic?

Answer 1

They cant cary much weight, they are slow, hard to controle and we are really runing out of helium (remember the issues during the thanks giving day paradea?)

Answer 2

pure and simple, speed and cargo capacity. considering that a 747 can reach australia in something like 9 hours, compared to 3 days or so for a dirigible, and the fact that a 747 can have a tack off weight of something like 500,000lbs, where as the dirigible cant even come close to that, why would we take several steps backwards in passenger and cargo transport?

Answer 3

The Hindenburg was capable of carying less than 100 barrels of crude.

The US consumes more than 20 million barrels of crude per day.

Answer 4

Dirigibles have a serious problem with weather:  they are very big for the cargo they carry, and relatively small winds can apply very large (and damaging) forces to them.  The required hangars to get them out of the wind and protected do not exist in most places, and would be very expensive to build.

I wouldn't expect to see dirigible transport any time soon.

Answer 5

Short answer.  They are too slow, everyone wants to be there yesterday, wherever there is.  They are limited in their capacity as well.  Great for a need for prolonged airtime, but you can take a bus and be there sooner than by dirigible.  Lockheed Martin has a prototype heavylift lighter than air aircraft, the P-791.  There are other companies out there.  There is interest for some applications.  Perhaps as oil prices rise and the environment becomes more of an issue.

Answer 6

Kevin_M wrote:



# The Hindenburg was capable of carying less than 100 barrels of crude.



Where does that claim come from? The US Naval Research Advisory Committee (NRAC -- see source below) states the Hindenburg had a net lift of 112 tons, which means it could carry considerably more than just 100 barrels of crude oil. The same NRAC report discusses the possible application of heavy-lift airships to freight (but not passenger) use.