Free air travel??? The way of the future?

[Merlin66]

Now this is different.....
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-48013519

[DarkArts]

The problem with airships is they take too long to get from A to B and can be delayed or diverted too easily by weather. Even at 20km, the jetstream isn't that easy to overcome for something with that sail area and limited propulsive power.

In the role of comsat? I have sincere doubts. Call me a cynic, but the military has been mucking about with these things for 3 decades and, even with their enormous budgets, hasn't really got anywhere.


... should read "operate in all weathers suitable to airships!"

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I thought this was going to be about regular air travel .... to which I was going to counter: Sure, the flight is free, but the price of the oxygen .... :eyepop:

[raymo]

Darkarts, Don't you think all those involved in the project are well aware of the points that you have raised; I suggest that you watch this space, as they say.
raymo

[DarkArts]

I have read similar press releases over the last 30-odd years for military, civilian and dual-use projects. They included promises of having solved all the problems and even having "guaranteed customers" in some cases. Hundreds of millions have been sunk into them. Where are they all?

Other than individual "curiosities", none succeeded commercially or militarily.

[raymo]

There are differences between this craft and an airship, insofar as not all its lift comes from gas, [ it has wings], its range is close to unlimited, and it may
fly faster than an airship[we haven't been told yet]. For its supposed main
purpose it doesn't matter much how long it takes to get to its station, and
lastly the upper jetstream is very weak at 10/16km/hr, and in any case
doesn't reach that high an altitude. At 20km it is above the jetstream.
raymo