Discovery Air and Hybrid Air Vehicles have announced plans to launch a commercial Heavy Lift Air Vehicle service serving mining camps and secluded villages in the Northwest Territory using airships originally developed for long-term reconnaissance by the US military.
These hybrid aircraft — “hybrid” in that they use both the lift from non-flammable helium and the aerodynamics of the ship to stay aloft — employs laminated fabric covering an internal catenary system as the hull. The airships will be able to carry up to 500 tons of cargo as a time and will purportedly be able to land or take off from virtually anywhere — thanks to its four propulsion fans.
“The North has been waiting a long time for a year-round, heavy-lift, transport capability.” Dr Barry Prentice, Professor of Supply Chain Management at the Asper School of Business in Winnipeg, Manitoba, stated. “The conditions are right for a new form of transport that is capable of heavy lift, but is also low cost and environmentally sustainable.”
These blimps will be able to travel up to 185km/h without the dangers of an overland route. They will, on the other hand, run about $US40 million apiece.
[CBC News via Ubergizmo via MobileMag - HAV Press Release - Discovery Air Press Release]
trace
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 12:56 PM500 tons? 50…
trace
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 12:57 PMtonnes*
stevjosco
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 1:34 PMDirigible pilot: MAYDAY! MAYDAY! Our helium tank has sprung a leak. We’re going down!
Emergency radio operator: Ha ha ha! You sound like Mickey Mouse. Say Mayday again.
Pilot: Mayday! Mayday! Please send help!
Radio operator: Ahhahhahahahahahahahaha! Oh my god that’s so funny.
Pilot: Screw you, dickhead!
Radio operator: Hahahahahahhhaaaaa!!!
Cam
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 3:24 PMFunniest thing I’ve read in months right there…
Aliasalpha
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 6:05 PMOkay, you win one internet for that
Ken
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 1:34 PMThat idea will never get off the ground.
Dspecial
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 1:46 PMYou mean it won’t float?
Alex
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 1:53 PMYeah I don’t think it will take off either.
Ash
Thursday, September 1, 2011 at 10:32 AMThat idea will definitely crash and burn.
Peter
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 1:41 PMOh the humanity!
EckyThump
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 1:52 PMActually the idea of using helium goes back to the ‘Hindenburg’ days. They only started to use hydrogen because the US had the worlds supply of Helium stock piled. Helium is actually pretty costly to produce too. This balloon actually uses air as ballast because it heavier than Helium. They are talking about turning them into luxury cruisers too! #]
mahqnetic
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 2:32 PMNone of you have played Rise of Legends then?
Stephen
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 3:42 PMI’d take my next overseas holiday by dirigible if I could – I hate jetlag and cramped planes.
stevothegoddamneddevo
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 5:04 PMyeah right.. have you seen the storms that blow through there…?
that thing will ned up in New York or London up in those parts by the time it gets off the ground!
TSH
Thursday, September 1, 2011 at 12:33 PMThat was my thinking right away – trucks can’t really be blown off course. Unless these airships actually go above the clouds and thereby avoid most storms … that would be pretty awesome.
Ollie
Thursday, September 1, 2011 at 10:30 AMI’ve always wondered (but never looked into) why they don’t develop a hybrid mix of helium and hydrogen… you get the extra lift from the hydrogen, and hopefully the inflammability of the helium.
Osiris Fox
Friday, September 2, 2011 at 1:12 PMHydrogen gas is very volatile even at low concentrations.