Would it be possible to bring back the airship (Zeppelin)?

Question

Think about it, with all the modern tech/materials, problems that plagued airships of the early 1900's could be cured if not managed.

Answer 1

There have been several attempts to bring them back.   There are several companies today making blimps, and they are  used for various things, but are too expensive and unwieldy for serious transportation.

One of the problems is that there is only so much helium.  We can't make it, we can only get it from pockets underground. And we're beginning to run short, so the price is rising.  We can use hydrogen of course, but it's dangerous.  It only took one accident, the Hindenburg catastrophe, to kill transatlantic zeppelin service.

Another problem is that big airships are very difficult to land.  The way they did it in the 20s/30s took dozens of men to grab the ropes and hold the zeppelin down until it could be moored. And if it's a very windy day, it becomes much harder and more dangerous.

Did you know the roof of the Empire State Building in New York was designed to be a zeppelin port?  The idea was that you'd be able to fly right into the city center.  It turned out that there were serious updrafts and turbulence because of the wind whistling around the skyscrapers, so landing a zeppelin wasn't possible.  But wouldn't it have been great if they could do that?

Answer 2

There are some companies considering it.

Check out this link:

http://www.hoax-slayer.com/aeroscraft-em...

It has a concept picture of a new "cruise ship for the skies."  Kinda like a Queen Mary 2, but in airship form.  They want it done by 2010, but there's no guarantee that will happen.

Answer 3

Large rigid airships (Zeppelins) are fragile and easily damaged, do not tolerate severe air currents well, and are difficult to maneuver accurately.  Heavier-than-air craft have proven infinitely more practical for all but a very few purposes.

Luftschiffbau Zeppelin is actually manufacturing rigid airships on a limited basis now, however, to fill that small niche.

Try an internet search on "Zeppelin NT."

Answer 4

I fully agree.

With improvements in materials, weather and telemetry, and an increasing cost of fuel, a large rigid airship could solve many problems.

Talk about going on a luxury cruise....

Answer 5

i was just gonna ask the same question i wish it would ive been wanting to go on one my whole life

Answer 6

Why would you want to?

Answer 7

It could be rebuilt...just not using hydrogen. Did you know the Navy had airships that actually launched and recovered parasitic fighter planes? I like the Empire State building story about the concept of docking zeppelins there...true story but who would want to walk a gangplank from the zeppelin to the building 1000 feet in the air with updrafts and turbulence? Nutty idea.

Answer 8

The Goodyear blimp is flying high in the sky at sporting events.No need to bring back the Zeppelin It went up in smoke.Have a Good Day.

Answer 9

I always felt that they could be used as platforms for air tours over national parks and places where one could bring up a bunch of tourists and just quietly hang out checking out the view

Did anybody read that the reason that the Hindenburg disintegrated was because of the aluminum coating on it's skin and  not because of the hydrogen?