Will airships (blimps, zeppelins, semi-rigids) make a comeback?

Question

Will airships (blimps, zeppelins, semi-rigids) make a comeback?

Answer 1

I sure hope so.  I think there are lots of practical applications for them.

For the person above, helium is typically used in blimps, not hydrogen like in the Hindenburg.  Much safer.

Answer 2

There are plans to build new airship style craft for heavy lifting and cargo hauling. There are some advantages to the airship design, and newer technology will make them easier to control and operate. And since helium is now readily available, there's no need to use hydrogen as in the past.

Answer 3

There was a plan within the last 15 years from a German consortium to provide a shipping alternative using an enormous blimp.

It would've had the same capacity as a small freighter but would be able to land and dock directly for delivery.

The only flaw which caused the whole plan to fail was when someone realized that when the cargo was unloaded, the blimp would be super-buoyant and unstable, and would fly off without any ballast. It just became impractical

Answer 4

They will make a comeback but a slow one. The industry is currently gaining momentum again. With the first Zeppelin NT coming to the US this year and many projects emerging all over the world we will see a new renaissance of airships. The won't be used to get quickly from a to b that's what planes are for but for missions were loitering and low noise is required they are prime candidates. Airships can be used for rain forest exploration and other missions were a fragile ecosystem can not be disturbed, because they do not create down draft like helicopters a more quiet and slow allowing to survey regions carefully. New surveillance airships are also in development for home land security and border control. Either manned or unmanned both has potential. Boeing just announced that they will start building a hybrid heavy lift aircraft that uses lighter than air technology to increase it's cargo carrying abilities. And there are constantly new projects appearing. We are living in exciting times for airships and I am looking forward what there is to come, because it is going to be big ;-)

You can read more about all this on the Airshipworld Blog at http://airshipworld.blogspot.com

Regards

Andreas

Editor of the Airshipworld Blog

Answer 5

Probably not to the extent of the Great Airship of the early 20th Century, but Boeing is developing a new model for heavy lifting, which is probably the nearest thing (and it looks pretty cool too)

Answer 6

There will always be a small number of lighter-than-air craft floating around, working in applications such as advertising, sports reporting, surveillance, and maybe even anti-submarine patrols again.

The problem is that most applications of flight technology center around speed, and airships will always be relatively slow.  Also, the cost of incremental load carrying capacity is much higher for lighter-than-air than it is for airplanes.

There is a certain romance around airships, but it is hard to find practical applications in which they outperform airplanes and helicopters.

The Hindenburg was the last airship to use hydrogen in public transport.  All airships use helium nowadays.

Answer 7

no i highly doubt it

Answer 8

Most likely not after such disasters as the Hindenburg. Having that much hydrogen in one place is an incredible risk. If they do find a safer way to keep a craft that large afloat, it might be possible, but not likely, planes would still be the dominant mode of air transportation.

Answer 9

"GINGER" they don't use Hydrogen any more. haven't for decades. The preferred lifting gas is Helium.

They are making a comeback. There are a number of companies developing blimps for charter, freight and heavy lifting jjobs. Semi rigid seems to be the common construction type. Haven't seen any one interested in Zeppelins yet.

Answer 10

No.

But Led Zeppelin will always be the best.