Are Airships Making a Comeback for Cargo Transport?

[Jim M]

Has anyone seen the recent new in the last couple of years about the comeback potential of the Zeppelins or Airships?
There seems to be a good argument about the efficiency of these ships in regards to cargo transport.
I can see the environmental impact and perhaps the construction costs and operational expense benefits, but I’m still wrapping my mind around the load characteristics of lighter than air vessels carrying bulk cargo.
Has anyone had any experience in this area? What are the restrictions or limitations that are preventing them now?

 

[russ_watters]

Well, they are slow and have to be enormous to carry much weight. And I'm not sure they really are very efficient.

 

[FredGarvin]

They heavy lifter airship (I can't remember the name) has been brought up a few times. The plans to date all look very nice but all seem to miss the basic points that made dirigibles extinct in the first place. I believe one of them is looking at severely limiting its operating area to make the most of calm weather. The now deceased Cargolifter was going to use a keel as it's main structural member which I assume allowed them to advertise such large load capacities.

http://www.aerospace-technology.com/projects/cargolifter/

http://www.deagel.com/library/SkyHook-JHL-40-Heavy-Lift-Rotorcraft_m02008070800005.aspx

 

[minger]

Yes. Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_airship

 

[Jim M]

They heavy lifter airship (I can't remember the name) has been brought up a few times. The plans to date all look very nice but all seem to miss the basic points that made dirigibles extinct in the first place. I believe one of them is looking at severely limiting its operating area to make the most of calm weather. The now deceased Cargolifter was going to use a keel as it's main structural member which I assume allowed them to advertise such large load capacities.

http://www.aerospace-technology.com/projects/cargolifter/

http://www.deagel.com/library/SkyHook-JHL-40-Heavy-Lift-Rotorcraft_m02008070800005.aspx

That was one of my thoughts, that these were fair weather only ships. I don't think they have resolved that problem since it is fairly inherint to the concept of lighter than air designs. I would think that even a strong wind would extremely limit the control of an Airship.