*Can Ospreys keep from crashing?
* DHS “brain drain“
* Predator 3, IED-planters 0
* Stealth robo-sub unveiled
* Drone budget, broken down
* Warthog, upgraded
* Downed pilot beacon flicks on
* Remembering the original RF jammers
(Big ups: HT, RC)
*Can Ospreys keep from crashing?
* DHS “brain drain“
* Predator 3, IED-planters 0
* Stealth robo-sub unveiled
* Drone budget, broken down
* Warthog, upgraded
* Downed pilot beacon flicks on
* Remembering the original RF jammers
(Big ups: HT, RC)
The DynaLifter hybrid airship idea (design) originated with Howard Hughes, moved on through old Lockheed, and now lives in Ohio.
I commend Ohio Airships’ efforts.
Their design is damned from the outset by the fact that their craft still needs a runway. No “airship” should need one, and so called “hybrids” are far to susceptible to winds while on the surface or during take off/landings; just as airplanes are subject to winds also. except, airplanes at least have some weight advantages, and NOT the huge amount of “sail” presented to ground level wind effects.
campbell: they have big dreams, but I don’t think anyone is going to replace trucks with airships. It would simply be infinitely easier to build more roads than to try to create a massive new infrastructure using an alternate technology. After all, lots of companies and people know how to build trucks and roads. They don’t even have their technology off the ground yet and billions would have to be spent ramping up mass-production. Not likely. And once the goodies were delivered, they would have to be transferred to trucks anyway unless the airships plan to deliver to every factory and retail outlet.
That’s another cargo transfer in an age where shippers go to great lengths to avoid handling anything more often than they have to. If I had billions to invest in Third World transportation I would build toll roads. Problem solved.
Coal = Jetfuel…
Updated Fischer-Tropsch process, original process was developed by German researchers Franz Fischer and Hans Tropsch in the 1920s…
Just think, the Germans figured it out in the 1920’s & used the same stuff during WW2 (yearly synthetic oil production reached more than 90 million tons in 1944)…
wow big step forward <- Yes I’m rolling my eyes…
Good day gentlemen!
While browsing for blogs on the Dynalifter, I found your comments. Thank you for your discussion.
>>Their design is damned from the outset by the fact that their craft still needs a runway.
Many people who are only considering blimp-like missions do; endurance missions, “sky cranes”, etc. However, if you view the Dynalifter as a fuel-efficient airplane instead, the merits become much clearer, especially considering our world’s fuel consumption problems. Also, your assessment of wind-handling is true. This is why Dr. Raymer (the Dynalifter conceptual designer and former Director of design for Lockheed Martin) began his study with an analysis of crosswind handling. All scales of Dynalifters are designed to handle 30kt crosswinds with no fuel or payload (uncommon weather). Of course, it would be an operational mistake for pilots and/or a handling crew to allow the aircraft to operate with low fuel and no payload. Thus, the Dynalifter can handle crosswinds in excess of 30kts merely by refueling. Also, it would be an operational mistake to take off or land into a crosswind. Most regional airports have multiple runways.
>>>It would simply be infinitely easier to build more roads than to try to create a massive new infrastructure using an alternate technology.
You might be surprised. The cost of building highways is cost-prohibitive in developing nations. In fact, there is great interest in Dynalifters for these countries. The countries themselves wouldn’t pay for development, but rather US VC’s and public investors. And the nations wouldn’t pay for the crafts, but rather pay for their use.
In the US, it can also be cost-prohibitive to build new, long stretches of highway for expansion. Our logistics advisior (senior consultant for Roadway and Yellow Freight) reminds us of this frequently. Environmental compliance alone can raise the already billion-dollar cost for a new stretch of highway by a factor of 10. Our trucking capacity is near saturation and in several key locations has been exceeded (perhaps you have noticed heavy traffic on your highways?). Dynalifters are not meant to serve as a replacement for trucks, but rather an expansion alternative.
Oh, and the “b” word (billions) is not unusual for development of new modes of transportation.
After all, the Dynalifter could be the “Google” of under-developed nations
One fun tool for experiencing Dynalifter flight characteristics is the flight simulator X-Plane. David Starling has modeled several scales of Dynalifters which have surprisingly similar characteristics to our prototype and conceptual designs.
Thank you guys again for commenting. We don’t begin to claim to know everything, but perhaps we’re not as far from a transportation breakthrough as you might think!
Brian