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  • #46
    I read a lengthy article about it around the mid-90's, not sure if it was about Cargolifter. I think that company came to the fore later on.

    There may be a small fleet of them, but that doesn't mean a lot. There's still commercial use of horses as well for instance.

    The biggest reason that I'm sceptical is that the basic technology of airships have been around for quite some time already, and while it might make economic sense by utilising modern technology to the maximum, there not be a lot of scope for further improvements.

    I don't see one would transport cargo at slow speed with fairly small capacity if you got massive bulk carriers around. And cargo transported by plane generally is time-sensitive which also discounts airships.

    There may be some small niches around where they're economically viable but it's not going to amount to much.
    Last edited by Colonâ„¢; June 27, 2005, 12:03.
    DISCLAIMER: the author of the above written texts does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for any offence and insult; disrespect, arrogance and related forms of demeaning behaviour; discrimination based on race, gender, age, income class, body mass, living area, political voting-record, football fan-ship and musical preference; insensitivity towards material, emotional or spiritual distress; and attempted emotional or financial black-mailing, skirt-chasing or death-threats perceived by the reader of the said written texts.

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    • #47
      Obviously, your sense of scale is way off. You mention mainstream applications, but the number of airships even at its height was very modest. So it's very easy to "come back," even with only niche markets.

      Mainstream markets for airships are speculative. I'm very hesitant to say they don't exist. We just don't know. The markets haven't been tried post-WWII.
      I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891

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      • #48
        Airships were used for passenger transportation as well as bombing and scouting.
        DISCLAIMER: the author of the above written texts does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for any offence and insult; disrespect, arrogance and related forms of demeaning behaviour; discrimination based on race, gender, age, income class, body mass, living area, political voting-record, football fan-ship and musical preference; insensitivity towards material, emotional or spiritual distress; and attempted emotional or financial black-mailing, skirt-chasing or death-threats perceived by the reader of the said written texts.

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        • #49
          I note that only 6 Zeppelins were built during the Zeppelin Golden Age (the interwar period). The number of passenger-miles total is miniscule. It wouldn't take much to get back to that level of service.

          Damn it! This thread wasn't designed for serious arguments!
          Last edited by DanS; June 27, 2005, 13:15.
          I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891

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          • #50
            What wikipedia page did you get that 6 from? Over a hundred Zeppelins have been build, not including copycats build by others. And considering how huge they could be, that doesn't appear too miniscule. Air travel wasn't too big either how back then.

            Why don't you get yourself enthused about fast cargo catamarans or supersonic aviation instead?
            Last edited by Colonâ„¢; June 27, 2005, 15:27.
            DISCLAIMER: the author of the above written texts does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for any offence and insult; disrespect, arrogance and related forms of demeaning behaviour; discrimination based on race, gender, age, income class, body mass, living area, political voting-record, football fan-ship and musical preference; insensitivity towards material, emotional or spiritual distress; and attempted emotional or financial black-mailing, skirt-chasing or death-threats perceived by the reader of the said written texts.

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            • #51
              I love a good catamaran. Consider though, if they attached a dirigible to the catamaran. WaaLaa! A sea dirigible, or a flying catamaran!

              Actually I've thought about having a catamaran built in the Phils and going sailing and fishing for a few decades.

              Supersonic aviation...eh, everyone is in a big rush these days. I'd rather just float along, watching the clouds float serenely by while sipping a glass of red wine and reading the paper. Occasionally I'd let go the bathroom waste ballast over a major city and watch em dodge my ****. Give em a reason to rush around.
              Long time member @ Apolyton
              Civilization player since the dawn of time

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              • #52
                If you fly supersonically to the Fils, you have more time left to sip your glass of red wine and reading the paper over there, instead having to do that whilst travelling.
                DISCLAIMER: the author of the above written texts does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for any offence and insult; disrespect, arrogance and related forms of demeaning behaviour; discrimination based on race, gender, age, income class, body mass, living area, political voting-record, football fan-ship and musical preference; insensitivity towards material, emotional or spiritual distress; and attempted emotional or financial black-mailing, skirt-chasing or death-threats perceived by the reader of the said written texts.

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                • #53
                  What wikipedia page did you get that 6 from?
                  List of Zeppelins - Wikipedia
                  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Zeppelins


                  And considering how huge they could be, that doesn't appear too miniscule.
                  They could be that huge, but weren't built that huge until the Golden Age.

                  Besides, regular transatlantic flights were only carried out by a couple of airships in the entire airship history.

                  Air travel wasn't too big either how back then.
                  But sea passenger travel was very big.
                  Last edited by DanS; June 27, 2005, 15:49.
                  I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891

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                  • #54
                    The ones they're build recently aren't too big either, are they?

                    And I don't think they'll build them for travel regardless, even if its just luxury travel. You got cruise ships for that, which can offer lots more amenities.

                    But I guess it depends on what your definition of "come-back" is.
                    DISCLAIMER: the author of the above written texts does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for any offence and insult; disrespect, arrogance and related forms of demeaning behaviour; discrimination based on race, gender, age, income class, body mass, living area, political voting-record, football fan-ship and musical preference; insensitivity towards material, emotional or spiritual distress; and attempted emotional or financial black-mailing, skirt-chasing or death-threats perceived by the reader of the said written texts.

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                    • #55
                      Originally posted by Colon
                      Why don't you get yourself enthused about fast cargo catamarans or supersonic aviation instead?
                      I've looked at these rather closely. Fast cargo catamarans run up against physical limits very quickly. Supersonic aviation is nothing more than an expensive government boondoggle. Sometime way in the future we may see point-to-point passenger rocketry (a la Philip Dick's imagination), but several generations of R&D will have to be done before we do that.

                      Airships have a coolness factor that is tops. 10x tops.
                      I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891

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                      • #56
                        The ones they're build recently aren't too big either, are they?
                        Baby steps. Baby steps.

                        And I don't think they'll build them for travel regardless, even if its just luxury travel. You got cruise ships for that, which can offer lots more amenities.
                        It could get by in the marketplace on novelty. I would be willing to fork over several thousand bucks for a transatlantic Zeppelin flight. Besides, cruise ships take too long for somebody with only 2 weeks of vacation at a time.
                        I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891

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                        • #57
                          If they could build the things with solar collecters on the top half, maybe they wouldn't need much fuel.
                          Long time member @ Apolyton
                          Civilization player since the dawn of time

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                          • #58
                            Or if they figure out how to make a lighter-than-air aerogel, they wouldn't have to use gaseous helium.
                            I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891

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                            • #59
                              Is helium expensive?

                              Perhaps when the earth starts running out of oil they'll bring back the derigible.
                              Long time member @ Apolyton
                              Civilization player since the dawn of time

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                              • #60
                                Helium costs about $2 per cubic meter. So the Hindenburg would take about $400,000 to fill up.
                                I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891

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