Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft == Anti-Terrorist Device?

Posted by Cliff on Wednesday October 3, 2001 @05:55AM from the safer-usually-means-better dept.

maladroit asks: "Today on NPR's Talk of the Nation/Science Friday , Harry Braun of the Phoenix Project said that a hydrogen-powered airplane would not have produced the fire and intense heat that brought down the World Trade Center towers. Is this true ? What are the other advantages and disadvantages of hydrogen fuel ? Details on the Phoenix Project's website are a bit sketchy, but I'm sure the Slashdot crowd has some answers (and Richard Dean Anderson jokes)." Sounds like a good theory, it doesn't account for the hostage aspect, but it would prevent the use of aircraft as cheap bombs. Would there be any drawbacks? How much would such a refit cost for your average commercial aircraft?

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Re:Hydrogen burns by Seanasy · 2001-10-03 06:13 · Score: 4, Redundant

It wasn't hydrogen burning.
From the DOE H2 website:

Did hydrogen cause the Hindenberg to blow up?

No. A recent study of the accident implicates the paint used on the skin of the airship, which contained the same component as rocket fuel.