Hybrid airship launched.

[thesmokingman]

oh :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepag...canny-resemblance-to-Kim-Kardashians-bum.html

You win OT for the day.

 

[Imp]

Here is a great example of where this thing would rock.

...if it crashes, it won't go down like a meteor.

All I'm interested in.

 

[Jeff7]

That's probably the future since helium is, supposedly, really expensive. Seriously, vacuum lighter than helium so you'd technically need even less displacement, but you'd need a frame to contain the vacuum so that makes it heavier.

Good luck making something lightweight and large that can hold a vacuum without collapsing on itself.

A really perfect sphere...carbon fiber......graphene....and so on. No problem. Easy.
:sneaky:


...well, I was going to say that helium supplies are on-track to run out at some point, but upon checking Wiki for the specifics of helium's regeneration rate through natural radioactive decay, I saw this:

Previously, terrestrial helium was thought to be a non-renewable resource because once released into the atmosphere, it readily escapes into space. However, recent studies suggest that helium is produced deep in the earth by radioactive decay, and that large untapped reserves may exist under the Rocky Mountains in North America and in natural gas reserves.

Huh, interesting. I knew about the radioactive decay thing already, but had thought that the rate was low compared to our rate of consumption.

 

[DrPizza]

Why don't they just make vacuum airships? Lighter than even helium and it doesn't use up as many resources.

Because they can't. As far as I'm aware, at this point, we don't have any materials such an airship could be made out of. Any vacuum "airship" strong enough to maintain the vacuum without collapsing or buckling (then collapsing) would weigh too much to be buoyant in the first place. E.g. go to youtube and look for videos that demonstrate how much air pressure there is around us, such as cans being crushed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WJVHtF8GwI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kvm00Uiy_UU

Just think - you've finally succeeded - you've done it! It floats! A bird bumps into you. Booooom. You instantly turn into tons of material with virtually zero buoyancy. You've almost literally gone from flying something to flying a brick. Except, unlike that analogy to the STS that it's "like flying a brick" - it really would be like flying a brick - bricks don't fly... at all.

 

[sdifox]

Why don't they just make vacuum airships? Lighter than even helium and it doesn't use up as many resources.

Whut? It will collapse like a tin can. Atmospheric pressure will do that.

 

[Jeff7]

All hail the 'Flying Bum'

Upper management walks by an engineer's computer as he's got something suspicious on the screen.


"Oh, um, it's....it's a new....aircraft design I'm working on. Now. At my computer. Designing."

 

[DesiPower]

 

[destrekor]

Because they can't. As far as I'm aware, at this point, we don't have any materials such an airship could be made out of. Any vacuum "airship" strong enough to maintain the vacuum without collapsing or buckling (then collapsing) would weigh too much to be buoyant in the first place. E.g. go to youtube and look for videos that demonstrate how much air pressure there is around us, such as cans being crushed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WJVHtF8GwI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kvm00Uiy_UU

Just think - you've finally succeeded - you've done it! It floats! A bird bumps into you. Booooom. You instantly turn into tons of material with virtually zero buoyancy. You've almost literally gone from flying something to flying a brick. Except, unlike that analogy to the STS that it's "like flying a brick" - it really would be like flying a brick - bricks don't fly... at all.

Hey, that second video is from Toledo! Neat.

 

[Sonikku]

Good. Now make an airship like this.

 

[SKORPI0]

Update: 2nd test flight
The World's Longest Airship Just Crash-Landed After England Test Flight

The world’s longest aircraft, the Airlander 10 airship, has crash-landed after a test flight in Bedfordshire, central England, its British manufacturer Hybrid Air Vehicles said on Wednesday.
The airship, which is bigger than the size of six double-decker buses, sustained damage on landing from its second test flight, Hybrid Air Vehicles said, adding that all crew were safe and well following the incident.
The 92-meter Airlander 10 made its first test flight earlier this month and the company had posted photographs of it up in the air before Wednesday’s incident.

 

[IronWing]

Note to self: if I must be in an aircraft crash, I want to be on that aircraft.

 

[FeuerFrei]

Ideally, it should be designed to collide with other airships without sustaining damage. Imagine the fun! Bumper cars of the sky.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Are you talking about the impending helium shortage?

At 100 mph and 200 tons its really a question of is it cheaper than jet or truck? Also, at 100 mph is there cargo that benefits from the decreased time over trucks and can the cargo go slower than on a jet.

btw how much can a semi carry?

A semi can carry 80,000lbs max. so the airship could carry 5 times that amount. Also, you have to consider that roads are not straight so travel over ground will be a longer distance traveled than by air. Not to mention traffic, stop lights etc.

 

[Imp]

Note to self: if I must be in an aircraft crash, I want to be on that aircraft.

How do I thumbs-up emoji the shit out of this?

Seriously, I will gladly sacrifice a month to make it to some other place if it's on that thing.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Update: 2nd test flight
The World's Longest Airship Just Crash-Landed After England Test Flight

Oh the huge manatee!

 

[Puffnstuff]

Update: 2nd test flight
The World's Longest Airship Just Crash-Landed After England Test Flight

He really drilled the cockpit into the ground didn't he? Didn't exactly instill confidence to the onlookers. At least it didn't meander off to the right and hit the green building.

 

[norseamd]

This was all over twitter.

 

[EliteRetard]

Pull up! Pull up! ... 10 minutes later ... Pull up! Pull up! Oh never mind! *starts blowing hot air into the balloon*

 

[Puffnstuff]

ER are you somehow responsible for this mishap?

 

[MongGrel]

Note to self: if I must be in an aircraft crash, I want to be on that aircraft.

Agreed. Have been watching that one awhile myself since it was being developed.

 

[EliteRetard]

ER are you somehow responsible for this mishap?

Trying to decide if I should brag about it or not...