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Such flights would be eco-friendly but quite lengthy. For example, a journey by airship from London to New York would take three days.
A team at Friedrich-Alexander University in Erlangen–Nuremberg has been exploring zeppelins (rigid-frame airships). The team says a California company is ready to pursue an eco-friendly airship. If the concept proves feasible, aircraft manufacturers could invest heavily in its development.
Maybe it’s time for a carbon-free alternative to conventional airplanes, which are major sources of emissions.
What are the advantages of a solar airship?
The German team estimates the new zeppelin would produce only 1–5 percent of the emissions of a jet-fueled aircraft. Some of the technologies needed to achieve that still don’t exist, but the team says they could be developed soon.
Although dirigible flights are slower than modern airplanes, the proposed airship would offer a far more comfortable onboard experience. The zeppelin would feature stylish double cabins, a restaurant, and a lounge with numerous amenities. The vessel would also be better protected from bad weather. The new model is lighter than previous dirigibles.
It would carry between 100 and 200 passengers, depending on the route.
The zeppelin would draw power from lightweight lithium-ion batteries and solar panels, reducing its climate impact.
Professor Christoph Pflaum, head of the research team, says a film-like solar panel on the airship’s surface could be charged before departure.
Their report, published in the International Journal of Sustainable, said airships could be a good alternative for medium- and long-distance flights — and could be significantly cheaper than current airline routes, Daily Mail reported.
Pflaum recalled that historical airships once needed about 100 tons of non-renewable fuel. Twenty-first-century zeppelins wouldn’t need heavy, polluting fuel, because the world is shifting toward cleaner energy.
Did you know that…
The first steam-powered dirigible flight was made in 1852 by French engineer Henri Giffard. In 1853, American Solomon Andrews built the first lighter-than-air dirigible.
The first fully controlled flight of the airship La France occurred in 1884.
The first flight of a Zeppelin took place over Lake Constance in 1900. Since then, rigid-frame airships have been called “Zeppelins” after retired German officer Ferdinand von Zeppelin. The LZ-1 stayed aloft for 18 minutes.
During World War I, Germany, France, and Italy used zeppelins, but by 1917 they were largely abandoned because of reliability issues.
In 1929, the German airship LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin completed a round-the-world flight with journalist Grace Marguerite on board; she became the first woman to circumnavigate the globe by air.
The largest airship ever built, the Hindenburg, was unveiled in Germany in 1936. It measured 245 meters long with a 41.2-meter diameter. Its story ended in tragedy when the craft caught fire during a transatlantic flight over New Jersey, killing 37 people.
The United States used airships for military purposes during World War II and for advertising after the war.
In 1969, American company Goodyear introduced its iconic yellow-and-blue Spirit series airship, Spirit of Innovation. Airships from the series became platforms for aerial filming of sporting events and for advertising. Goodyear retired its last airship in 2017.
