4 ms·

I don't expect this to succeed because one of the biggest problems with airships a century ago still hasn't been resolved: Where do you put them when the weath

I don't expect this to succeed because one of the biggest problems with airships a century ago still hasn't been resolved: Where do you put them when the weather turns to shit? Airplanes are smaller, faster, and denser, so they have a lot more options. Airships are big, slow, and light weight, that means hangers big enough to house them are rare and expensive and the wind has greater impact on them than an airplane. Case in point, in 2017 HAV (the airship manufacturer the article is talking about) had their prototype airship destroyed by strong wind while it was moored outside. They haven't solved this problem, they're just ignoring it.

capableweb 4y ago
Is there some reason why you couldn't deflate it and temporarily store the helium in a tank next to a small hangar containing the deflated ship? Or maybe building huge hangars is simply cheaper now that it used to be? Seems weird if a airline would purchase 10 units of something while not having any idea where to store them when the weather gets bad, surely they must have some idea.
- adolph 4y ago
  Maybe not purchase: The carrier aims to introduce the Airlander fleet over a five-year period, through operational leases, as part of a sustainable mobility project. https://www.flightglobal.com/air-transport/spains-air-nostrum-plots-introduction-of-uk-airships-for-domestic-services/149013.article https://www.flightglobal.com/air-transport/spains-air-nostru...
- MichaelCollins 4y ago
  Maybe? Pumping the helium out and storing it could be done in principle, but in practice could you do that pumping fast enough to respond to bad weather? Controlled venting of the helium would be faster, but then you'd need new helium to fill it back up. This sort of plan would also require more infrastructure at the ports made to service the airship. I also wonder how fast they can go from deflated to operational; maybe hours but maybe longer, if they have to do inspections each time. It all seems like a lot of additional expense for an airship that already has a razor thin niche (transit that needs to be faster than a train or truck, doesn't need to be as fast as an airplane, and is less versatile than a helicopter.) As for the airline purchasing 10 airships, they didn't. They only reserved 10 and the press release on HAV's website doesn't say how much Air Nostrum Group actually paid for that upfront. Air Nostrum Group may view this as a PR / greenwashing expense, without any real expectation of buying or operating the airships. Similar to GM signing a deal with Nikola.
zardo 4y ago
It would be pretty simple if they could be unmanned, fly them.
yummypaint 4y ago
Seems like unmooring and letting it blow around might be preferable. Wonder if it would be legally feasible to have it computer piloted during storms and then return to base after.
ActorNightly 4y ago
The website shows that its possible to deflate them.

capableweb 4y ago

Is there some reason why you couldn't deflate it and temporarily store the helium in a tank next to a small hangar containing the deflated ship? Or maybe building huge hangars is simply cheaper now that it used to be? Seems weird if a airline would purchase 10 units of something while not having any idea where to store them when the weather gets bad, surely they must have some idea.

adolph 4y ago
Maybe not purchase: The carrier aims to introduce the Airlander fleet over a five-year period, through operational leases, as part of a sustainable mobility project. https://www.flightglobal.com/air-transport/spains-air-nostrum-plots-introduction-of-uk-airships-for-domestic-services/149013.article https://www.flightglobal.com/air-transport/spains-air-nostru...
MichaelCollins 4y ago
Maybe? Pumping the helium out and storing it could be done in principle, but in practice could you do that pumping fast enough to respond to bad weather? Controlled venting of the helium would be faster, but then you'd need new helium to fill it back up. This sort of plan would also require more infrastructure at the ports made to service the airship. I also wonder how fast they can go from deflated to operational; maybe hours but maybe longer, if they have to do inspections each time. It all seems like a lot of additional expense for an airship that already has a razor thin niche (transit that needs to be faster than a train or truck, doesn't need to be as fast as an airplane, and is less versatile than a helicopter.) As for the airline purchasing 10 airships, they didn't. They only reserved 10 and the press release on HAV's website doesn't say how much Air Nostrum Group actually paid for that upfront. Air Nostrum Group may view this as a PR / greenwashing expense, without any real expectation of buying or operating the airships. Similar to GM signing a deal with Nikola.

zardo 4y ago

It would be pretty simple if they could be unmanned, fly them.

yummypaint 4y ago

Seems like unmooring and letting it blow around might be preferable. Wonder if it would be legally feasible to have it computer piloted during storms and then return to base after.

ActorNightly 4y ago

The website shows that its possible to deflate them.