Passenger & Cargo Transport for the New Millennium

[morozow]

Yes. I also like airships since childhood. They are so majestic. And the ability to lift a large load almost "for free".

But it seems that with the freedom of landing, everything is not so simple for them. Big sail creates big problems. Previously, a mast and/or a large mooring crew were needed.

Your father was cool. It's a pity that it didn't work out.

I'm boring

Therefore, I note that there is a Russian trace in the history of hovercrafts.

In 1853, the collegiate assessor Ivanov filed a report on a vessel invented by him, which, by pumping air under its bottom, could sail with considerable speed — a "three-keeled dukhoplav", addressed to the chief controller of the communication routes, Count P. A. Kleinmichel. After reviewing the project, the Department of Projects and Estimates refused the inventor

The principle of hovercraft movement was developed by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky.

In his article "Friction and Air Resistance" in 1926, he wrote:
An express train. The idea of the subject. The friction of the train is almost destroyed by an excess of air pressure located between the floor of the car and the railway track tightly adjacent to it. Work is needed to inflate the air that continuously flows along the edges of the gap between the car and the track. It is not great, while the lifting force of the train can be enormous. So if the overpressure is one tenth of the atmosphere, then for every square meter of the base of the car there will be a lifting force of one ton. This is five times more than is needed for light passenger cars. Of course, there is no need for wheels and lubricants. The thrust is supported by the rear pressure of the air escaping from the opening of the car.


Experimental hovercraft of the skeg type were built in 1934-1939 by the Soviet designer Vladimir Levkov. The purpose of Levkov's work was extremely fast boats for military use. A dozen and a half different types of vessels weighing from 1.5 to 15 tons were created. All of them were destroyed during the Great Patriotic War. Levkov also experimented with existing chamber-type SVP models, but these works were not developed.

[Hurricane Annie]

Yes. I also like airships since childhood. They are so majestic. And the ability to lift a large load almost "for free".

But it seems that with the freedom of landing, everything is not so simple for them. Big sail creates big problems. Previously, a mast and/or a large mooring crew were needed.

Your father was cool. It's a pity that it didn't work out.

I'm boring

Therefore, I note that there is a Russian trace in the history of hovercrafts.

In 1853, the collegiate assessor Ivanov filed a report on a vessel invented by him, which, by pumping air under its bottom, could sail with considerable speed — a "three-keeled dukhoplav", addressed to the chief controller of the communication routes, Count P. A. Kleinmichel. After reviewing the project, the Department of Projects and Estimates refused the inventor

The principle of hovercraft movement was developed by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky.

In his article "Friction and Air Resistance" in 1926, he wrote:
An express train. The idea of the subject. The friction of the train is almost destroyed by an excess of air pressure located between the floor of the car and the railway track tightly adjacent to it. Work is needed to inflate the air that continuously flows along the edges of the gap between the car and the track. It is not great, while the lifting force of the train can be enormous. So if the overpressure is one tenth of the atmosphere, then for every square meter of the base of the car there will be a lifting force of one ton. This is five times more than is needed for light passenger cars. Of course, there is no need for wheels and lubricants. The thrust is supported by the rear pressure of the air escaping from the opening of the car.


Experimental hovercraft of the skeg type were built in 1934-1939 by the Soviet designer Vladimir Levkov. The purpose of Levkov's work was extremely fast boats for military use. A dozen and a half different types of vessels weighing from 1.5 to 15 tons were created. All of them were destroyed during the Great Patriotic War. Levkov also experimented with existing chamber-type SVP models, but these works were not developed.

.

Hover craft are an interesting subject. I haven't seen much info on them since the 70s. Itake take an eccentric billionaire or oligarch to give them a resurgence.

[Hurricane Annie]

We, in Russia, are gradually reviving hydrofoils.

They were quite common in the USSR, and carried passengers along rivers and tourists along the coast.

And then capitalism came, and they became economically unprofitable.

But now they began to build and revive routes little by little.

Two years ago, for the first time in 20 years, the Meteor was launched.

Meteors are a legend of Soviet river transport, about four hundred of them have been produced since 1959. Cruising speed is 75 kilometers per hour.

Here there is a TV story about this event https://www.1tv.ru/news/2021-08-03/410810-na_vodu_spuschen_pervyy_za_20_let_teplohod_meteor_na_podvodnyh_krylyah

That looks very similar to the hydrofoils my father built back in the 1960's, but a bit longer. He tried to start building hydrofoils in the UK, but at the time the government was subsidising hovercraft (a Great British Invention) to such an extent that he couldn't compete. This despite the fact that the hydrofoil could carry more passengers, gives a much smoother ride, can operate in rougher seas, use less fuel, etc., etc. He had hoped to get a contract for cross-Channel ferries but that went to the hovercraft despite being able to run on significantly fewer days a year due to rough seas.
In the end he built and sold a few to the Phillipines where they worked very well, but it broke him.

My hope for the next transport trend is airships (or Hybrid Air Vehicles) like the Airlander (https://www.hybridairvehicles.com/our-aircraft/airlander-10/), especially once we have bendable solar panels (https://solarmagazine.com/solar-panels/thin-film-solar-panels/) that would allow them to be almost entirely self-powered, zero carbon aircraft. The joy of airships is that they can land anywhere, land, sea, ice, and yes, even airports, if you must. The only downside that I can see is a speed of 60-80 mph, despite having a range of 4000 miles.

I found this website . I did not even know such recreational equipment existed. Without people like your dad , there wouldn't be such inspiration and innovation.

https://nzfoilcentre.co.nz/nz-foil-centre-new/

More updates on hydrofoil ferries about to be implemented in NZ .

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/teslas-of-the-sea-ces-showcases-electric-hydrofoil-boats/G66EPOV4EVEBHATYI4IOYZO24I/

https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/300694338/zeroemission-seaglider-set-to-transform-travel-in-nz-completes-maiden-voyage

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/132326419/superfast-seagliders-swoop-into-northland

I too am keeping my eye out for flying bottoms looming large on the horizon. Airship transport would have been ideal for the rescue and recovery  in recent natural disaster events on the New Zealand East Coast . We have been experiencing repeat major weather and flooding recently . If nothing it's shown how deep the community spirit is in our small rural towns and how people get stuck in and help each other in times of adversity . There are some places though, that planes, helicopters and utility vehicles  just can't reach.

Now you have me thinking of police dirigibles. That could be the way to push for electric airship technology. Sea and forest search and rescue.  Illegal crop raids and culls in the bush. Silent surveillance and chase with out the risk of road crashes. . . Just imagine ...

[J. Wilhelm]

Police dirigibles. There's something I'm not sure why it hasn't been implemented. So often I see helicopters going around in circles above some traffic or crime event. Circling over and over is not without risk, even from stray drones and people pointing lasers at pilots.  In a worst case scenario, I've seen aircraft performing the same function, and while aircraft use less fuel they have to fly in larger circles to maintain airspeed.

[Synistor 303]

Police dirigibles. There's something I'm not sure why it hasn't been implemented. So often I see helicopters going around in circles above some traffic or crime event. Circling over and over is not without risk, even from stray drones and people pointing lasers at pilots.  In a worst case scenario, I've seen aircraft performing the same function, and while aircraft use less fuel they have to fly in larger circles to maintain airspeed.

And they look so cool!

[J. Wilhelm]

Police dirigibles. There's something I'm not sure why it hasn't been implemented. So often I see helicopters going around in circles above some traffic or crime event. Circling over and over is not without risk, even from stray drones and people pointing lasers at pilots.  In a worst case scenario, I've seen aircraft performing the same function, and while aircraft use less fuel they have to fly in larger circles to maintain airspeed.

And they look so cool!

I'll bet you that we'll see dirigibles with advertising on them.

"Let's Go To The Colonies. This message was brought to you by the Mashimagu Dominguez Corporation"

[Hurricane Annie]

Police dirigibles. There's something I'm not sure why it hasn't been implemented. So often I see helicopters going around in circles above some traffic or crime event. Circling over and over is not without risk, even from stray drones and people pointing lasers at pilots.  In a worst case scenario, I've seen aircraft performing the same function, and while aircraft use less fuel they have to fly in larger circles to maintain airspeed.

And they look so cool!

I'll bet you that we'll see dirigibles with advertising on them.

"Let's Go To The Colonies. This message was brought to you by the Mashimagu Dominguez Corporation"

  (Living in the Colonies [or maybe Tracy Island] )

In the Taranaki where I now live , in an old beach township , the population and sky are relatively quieter and peaceful. Maybe a few medium and small planes to the regional airport 10 mins away daily. The sporadic rescue choppers, helicopters from the oil platforms  and the occasional private helicopter commuting to a  luxury coastal property . { Whooo Civilization!}

The last place was across the regional city New Plymouth, 25 mins away, next to the  local base hospital.  Rescue  and hospital  transfer choppers  were an everyday occurrence , occasionally  3 or 4 in succession like a M*A*S*H episode. The house would shake. It would feel like we were being invaded. I miss it

Before that I owned a small place in southern Auckland. In a high density, old battered , low rent sort of neghibourhood , drug houses with gun slots, ( New Orleans with out the french charm); with infill housing and streets of aging state housing winding through.

Circling police and the odd army chopper are still a semi permanent fixture through day - and night time with a spotlight. You could set your clock by the 6 car police chases from across town through the small short cut lane I lived on, twice daily. 10.45am and 1.45am    It was the best we had for entertainment . Everyone would stagger  outside to watch and jibe each other the cops were looking for them.

The perfect Dieselpunk back drop for a squad of hovering Police Zeppelin.  It would totally freak out the locals every time












 

[J. Wilhelm]

Hmm...

[Hurricane Annie]

Hmm...

Well spotted !! Mexico should sue for that and the cigar shaped  dirigibles from the early 1900s

[J. Wilhelm]

Hmm... SNIP

Well spotted !! Mexico should sue for that and the cigar shaped  dirigibles from the early 1900s

He he hee! I couldn't help myself. The Airlander reminds me too much about that type loaf. It'd be great advertisment for a sandwich shop

Just imagine seeing this floating in the sky!

"Visit Pedro's Torta Shop"

[von Corax]

Can the Airlander do rolls?

[J. Wilhelm]

Can the Airlander do rolls?

Baguettes even.

[von Corax]

Nunavut's biggest airline is taking its first step toward launching airships in Canada's North.

Canadian North signs deal to design airship


This rendering shows a Flying Whales airship carrying giant blades for wind turbines. Canadian North says it's hopeful airships could offer a new way to transport cargo north. (Submitted by Flying Whales)