4 ms·
Legitimately wondering if the public will be able to overcome the marketing of the last hydrogen "airliner"...
by linsomniac 5y ago
Legitimately wondering if the public will be able to overcome the marketing of the last hydrogen "airliner"...
- RobLach 5y agoThe Hindenberg disaster was quite the spectacle but surprisingly only ~30% of those onboard died.
- cm2187 5y agoBut this is with Hydrogen under pressure. I am a bit nervous about the failure mode.
- usrusr 5y agoCryogenic, or some hybrid. If insulation involves some actual gap I'd imagine that reliable methods to detect any cookoff failures would be simple and having access to a near sonic airsteam should give plenty of emergency venting opportunity. You'd still have a serious problem, but more of the ETOPS kind than of the fireball kind.
- ncmncm 5y agoNot under pressure. Liquified, at atmospheric pressure, and vented to make ignition of leaks impossible. There is a minimum partial pressure of hydrogen that must be exceeded before it can ignite. Keep leaked hydrogen below that, and it is harmless.
- vondur 5y agoWell, the Hindenburg didn't hit the ground very fast...
- AYBABTME 5y agoReading NTSB reports on (fatal) GA airplane accidents, most of them involve the plane burning down on impact. I'd say the current state of affairs isn't very glorious in term of fire risk, for planes using AVGAS.