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Boeing-Skyhook Airship Faces Technical Challenges

waderoush writes "Since the Hindenburg disaster, dreams of giant airships capable of lifting heavy cargo have been restricted mainly to Popular Science covers (with the notable exception of the Cargolifter AG failure) — until Boeing and a Canadian company called Skyhook announced on July 8 that they're building a 300-foot-long, helium-filled craft that will lift loads of up to 40 tons and carry them 200 miles. But an aeronautical engineer at the University of Washington cautions that there are still some big problems to be worked out with mega-airships, including their stability in turbulent weather."

3 of 185 comments (clear)

  1. Oh, the HUMANITY !! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    See, Hindenburg, Nazi, Kaiser, Bismark, Oak Royal, Queen Mum, and Carmila Parker

  2. Re:Obligatory Hindenberg reference by hostyle · · Score: 1, Offtopic
    --
    Caesar si viveret, ad remum dareris.
  3. Re:Obligatory Hindenberg reference by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Oh the huge manatee

    Also, I'm sorry, but I just don't see how keeping 40 tonnes in the air using vertical thrust alone is meant to be a good idea.