daniel@petrus.UUCP (04/19/85)
I too have always been fascinated with the idea of reviving airships. a few random thoughts: i don't think the general public still views airships as being dangerous. there is nothing "cuddlier" than having the goodyear blimp buz overhead. (if you want to read a neat discussion of blimp p.r., try "Black Sunday". the author claimed that a blimp was a great tool for terrorists since the public considered it to be so safe and familiar. it's a fun book: spies and blimps -- what else do you need.) i think there may indeed may be a market for airships. however, i think it is a mistake to consider airships as competitors with jet aircraft. rather, consider them as competitors with ocean going ships (remember that word "ship"). given this view, problems such as the need for docking crews, weather delays, heavy fuel requirements, etc. aren't so out of line. another angle: question: why don't we currently have any solar driven aircraft? answer: one needs too much surface area to collect the solar energy. question: what do airships have lots of? answer: surface area. with recent advances in thin-film photo-voltaics . . . just some food for thought, dan nachbar