BlimpsBlimps may replace cargo planes within ten years
Airships would be too slow for some high-speed airfreight, and would not be needed to carry the majority of cargo for which much slower ships are suitable, but with a speed of 125 kph (78 mph), and much lower fuel costs, plus a carrying capacity potentially many times that of a standard Boeing 747 plane, blimps could in future carry much of current air freight
The cargo-hauling blimp concept has been around for a long time, with some surprising supporters // Source: airshiparchive.com
A few weeks ago we wrote about a huge military airships which may soon perform reconnaissance missions over Afghanistan. Blimps are good for many things other than military missions.
The previous post’s comment section made some nice suggestions: cargo transportation, surveying natural disaster areas (ex. the Haiti earthquake),
Melissa Mahony writes that in response to her discussion of the discussion in SmartPlanet of the reconnaissance blimp, readers sent her ideas about what else blimps may be used for: cargo transportation, surveying natural disaster areas, temporary communication stations, and advertising space.
Sir David King agrees with many of them. The renowned scientist, speaking at the World Forum of Enterprise and Environment held at Oxford University, predicted that airships might begin replacing cargo planes and other aircraft within ten years.
Juliette Jowit of the Guardian writes:
Airships would be too slow for some high-speed airfreight, and would not be needed to carry the majority of cargo for which much slower ships are suitable. But with a speed of 125 kph (78 mph), and much lower fuel costs, plus a carrying capacity potentially many times that of a standard Boeing 747 plane, blimps could in future carry much of current air freight.
