

Blimpocracy - Is the airship the transportation system of the future? - DuncanKinney
http://albertaventure.com/2011/09/up-up-and-away/

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illmatix
The return of airships would be amazing and insanely safe. To bad public
opinion of airships still reflects late 1930's. With today's technology why
wouldn't it be safe?

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chops
I've love to ride a blimp, but it's hard to forget the imagery of the
Hindenburg. Just like Adolf isn't exactly a popular name for kids.

I'm reminded of the Archer episode "Skytanic" and the main character's failure
to grasp that the blimp they're on isn't going to explode from every little
spark:

\---SNIP---

Sterling Archer: Jesus! You want to blow us all to shit, Sherlock?

 _[Archer slaps the face of a man attempting to light a cigarette]_

Malory Archer: Sterling!

Capt. Lammers: For the last time, the Excelsior is filled with non-flamable
helium!

\---END SNIP---

While Archer is a silly comedy, in the end, that's the mentality we'd have to
face to get something like this mainstream again.

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bergie
Another place where airships might be useful for transportation is Africa.
Lots of resources that need to be moved around, (mostly) terrible road and
rail infrastructure. And there the airships wouldn't have to be very high-tech
to be safer than road transport.

The cost of helium presents a problem, though. Hydrogen is cheaper and
provides more lift, but is combustible. <http://www.airships.net/helium-
hydrogen-airships>

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AndyW42
Hydrogen may be more combustible but either way it still highly unlikely

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nirvana
I love the idea, but I'm afraid airships always have, and always will be, the
future.

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robertfw
Why do you think they will not be the future? I'm not saying they will, but
I'm getting very tired of people shooting ideas down without giving a reason
why.

Follow the lean, rational approach that we preach for our businesses - replace
your assumptions with experiments and research, and don't take anything for
granted.

