The low-carbon future of aviation could be powered by a relic from its past. The blimps are back. Who’s on board?
For most holidaymakers, the ‘airplane mode’ setting on our phones is an apt metaphor for the current experience of air travel. We check in, switch off and come back to life once we’re back on the tarmac, all while pumping plumes of planet-warming carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
But now a handful of enterprising companies want to rethink this modern approach to flying, using what many would consider a relic from aviation’s history: the airship. For a trade-off in travel speed, these companies claim zephyr-style aircrafts offer a greener, more pleasant form of air transport, utilising technology that is already available.
With eco-friendly jetliners still decades away, could embracing slow air travel help reduce aircraft emissions in the coming years?
At present, the commercial aviation industry is responsible for approximately 2.5 per cent of global CO2 emissions (that’s more than double the amount produced annually by the UK). In an increasingly eco-conscious world, which has given rise to movements like flygskam (‘flight shame’), the sector is facing huge pressure from consumers and governing bodies to become more climate-friendly.
This pressure has culminated in major airlines, including Air Canada, easyJet, and United Airlines, investing big money in what many see as the golden goose of future air travel: electric aircrafts. Planes that run either on battery (or hydrogen) cell technology and don’t pollute. There are, however, some weighty issues involved.
“To put it simply, batteries are really, really heavy,” says Jayant Mukhopadhaya of the International Council on Clean Transportation, an independent non-profit that advises on environmental policy. “This is not ideal when you’re talking about something that has to get off the ground.”
Alongside weight, today’s lithium-ion batteries simply don’t have enough juice to power modern aircrafts over long distances. Hydrogen cell technology, meanwhile, is hampered by the need for significant storage space, and both concepts face another potentially sizable safety hurdle (powerful batteries and liquid hydrogen both pose fire risks).
However, the envelope is continually being pushed. In 2020, the largest all-electric aeroplane (the 14-seater NAME propeller plane) undertook a successful test flight. Even in the last few months, Imperial College London has showcased a newly developed construction material that can also store electrical energy, which could aid in offsetting battery weight in future planes.
“The good news is most experts are sure we’ll get there,” says Mukhopadhaya, “But we could be talking decades if not longer until the technology is ready for the type of cross-continent flights we’ve become accustomed to.”
History propelling the future
For all the excited chatter of futuristic fuel cells and cutting-edge electrical materials, it’s fun to consider that the shorter-term solution to our green flight problem could come from a piece of aviation history.
The first recorded airship to have successfully flown was built by Frenchman Henri Giffard. Giffard combined a steam engine with a propeller and a huge sack of hydrogen, and lifted off into the skies above Paris in 1852.
A little over 50 years later, an evolved version of Giffard’s craft became the centre of the world’s first commercial airline, created by the Zeppelin Corporation. Zeppelins, as the airships were named, were used to ferry passengers around the globe until 1937, when the hydrogen-powered Hindenburg airship (which had previously made 36 successful transatlantic crossings) burst into flames while landing in New Jersey. With public trust in airships torched, fixed wing aeroplanes moved in to take the commercial flight mantle.
But with conventional air travel feeling increasingly out of step with modern tastes, a handful of airship companies have risen to the fore. These include LTA Research, backed by Google co-founder Sergey Brin, and Flying Whales, which has received funding from the French government.
Leading the charge, however, is the UK-based Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), and its flagship Airlander 10, a huge, aircraft that’s been a decade in the making and comes with a clear sales pitch to climate-conscious travellers.
“While the aviation industry focuses on trying to decarbonise its smallest aircrafts, what we have is a product that will come into the market capable of carrying 100 people to their destinations with 75 per cent less emissions than a conventional flight,” explains Tom Grundy, CEO of HAV.
A cross between a blimp and a plane, Airlander uses a non-rigid inflatable hull filled with – non-flammable – helium to generate lift, and four ‘ultra-efficient’ combustion engines to manoeuvre. With a top speed of 80mph (130kph), it’s significantly slower than a conventional jet, but potentially a lot comfier too, with the designs including floor to ceiling windows and space for passengers to freely move around. This luxury of space also carries an additional bonus.
“Our goal is to reach zero emissions,” says Grundy, “And because we don’t have major limitations with weight or space, the challenges with integrating batteries or hydrogen power – when that technology becomes available – are far reduced.”
The company is set to begin production from a Yorkshire-based site this year, and has secured its first orders from Spanish Airline, Air Nostrum. The team’s goal is to get the first Airlander into the skies by 2026.
The world’s open for us to rethink what we do by air
The company will start by targeting short-distance, regional transport routes, but Airlander’s versatility is what Grundy finds exciting, with freight transportation (as a low-carbon alternative to cargo planes) and humanitarian relief (Airlander does not require an airport to land) additional sectors the team are exploring.
“If you look at the different forms of transport that we’ve got today, you’ve got ultra-fast planes and then you’ve got everything else that goes over the surface,” says Grundy. “So, what happens when you put a new form of connection in the market? The world’s open for us to rethink what we do by air.”
Cruising the skies
There is, however, one issue that could prove a frustrating snag in any budding airship renaissance.
While airships tend to burn much less kerosene than planes, almost all are filled with helium, a finite resource that is already coveted by the medical and tech industry to produce things like MRI scanners and fibre-optic cables.
Not only is it rare, but helium can only be found beneath the Earth’s surface, mixed with natural gas, meaning drilling is required to reach it. Currently it is sourced as a profitable by-product in natural gas production, a fossil fuel industry.
However, dozens of companies have already begun the hunt for so-called ‘green helium’. These are gas deposits where helium is naturally mixed with nitrogen, meaning no carbon is released into the atmosphere when collecting it. This could provide a solution to the planet’s helium needs in the long term, but so far no such deposits have been successfully tapped.
Though helium is invariably a core component in airship travel, companies like HAV are quick to note that the helium in their crafts can be continually reused, with only around 15 per cent needing to be replenished annually following initial inflation. As a result, HAV claims that running a fleet of 600 hybrid aircraft would only account for one per cent of the planet’s annual helium consumption.
With current helium reserves set to last at least 50 years, Jayant Mukhopadhaya believes a more imminent challenge for airships could be convincing passengers to opt for a slower form of aircraft.
“Aeroplanes are popular because they’re fast,” he says, “So a major mindset change would be required for those kinds of slower transport modes to gain traction again.”
I can see travellers taking an airship instead of a flight if they can work remotely on the airship
Ironically, it could be lifestyle changes that came about because of the pandemic – which wreaked havoc on the aviation industry – that bolsters the appeal of airship travel to the public.
“I could see environmentally conscious travellers choosing to take an airship instead of a flight if they can work remotely, in comfort, on the airship,” says Mukhopadhaya. “Then maybe they don’t lose vacation days in transit. This is my personal dream.”
Low-emissions flying with room to breathe? Perhaps it’s time to switch to ‘aircraft mode’.
Main image: Flying Whale
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Wakati ujao wa anga yenye kaboni kidogo unaweza kuendeshwa na kitu kilichobaki kutoka zamani. Ndege za angani zimerudi. Ni nani aliye ndani ya meli? Kwa watalii wengi, kuweka "hali ya ndege" kwenye simu zetu ni mfano mzuri wa uzoefu wa sasa wa kusafiri kwa ndege. Sisi kuangalia katika, kubadilisha nje na kurudi kwa maisha mara moja sisi ni nyuma juu ya tarmac, wote wakati pumping plumes ya sayari-kuchanganya kaboni dioksidi katika anga. Lakini sasa makampuni machache ya ujasiri wanataka kufikiria upya mbinu hii ya kisasa ya kuruka, kwa kutumia kile ambacho wengi wangekiona kama mabaki ya historia ya anga: ndege. Kwa kubadilishana katika kasi ya kusafiri, makampuni haya wanadai ndege za mtindo wa Zephyr hutoa aina ya kijani kibichi, ya kupendeza zaidi ya usafiri wa hewa, kwa kutumia teknolojia ambayo tayari inapatikana. Kwa kuwa ndege za ndege za mazingira bado ziko mbali, je, kufurahia usafiri wa ndege wa polepole kunaweza kusaidia kupunguza uzalishaji wa hewa katika miaka ijayo? Kwa sasa, sekta ya ndege ya kibiashara ni wajibu kwa takriban 2.5% ya CO2 uzalishaji wa kimataifa (ambayo ni zaidi ya mara mbili ya kiasi zinazozalishwa kila mwaka na Uingereza). Katika ulimwengu unaozidi kuwa na ufahamu wa mazingira, ambao umesababisha harakati kama vile flygskam (‘aibu ya ndege'), sekta hiyo inakabiliwa na shinikizo kubwa kutoka kwa watumiaji na mashirika ya utawala kuwa rafiki zaidi wa hali ya hewa. "Hii imesababisha mashirika makubwa ya ndege, ikiwa ni pamoja na Air Canada, EasyJet, na United Airlines, kuwekeza pesa nyingi katika kile ambacho wengi wanaona kama ""goose ya dhahabu"" ya usafiri wa ndege wa siku zijazo: ndege za umeme." Ndege ambazo zinaendesha ama kwenye teknolojia ya betri (au hidrojeni) ya seli na hazisumbui. Hata hivyo, kuna masuala fulani mazito yanayohusika. "Kusema kwa ufupi, betri ni nzito sana", anasema Jayant Mukhopadhaya wa Baraza la Kimataifa la Usafiri Safi, shirika huru lisilo la faida ambalo hutoa ushauri juu ya sera za mazingira. "Hii si bora wakati wewe ni kuzungumza juu ya kitu ambacho ina kupata off ardhi. " Pamoja na uzito, leo's lithiamu-ion betri tu hawana juisi ya kutosha nguvu ndege ya kisasa juu ya umbali mrefu. Teknolojia ya seli ya hidrojeni, wakati huo huo, imezuiwa na haja ya nafasi kubwa ya kuhifadhi, na dhana zote mbili zinakabiliwa na kizuizi kingine cha usalama (batri zenye nguvu na hidrojeni ya kioevu zote mbili zina hatari ya moto). Hata hivyo, mipaka inaendelea kushinikizwa. Ndege kubwa zaidi ya umeme (Name Propulsion Plane) ilifanya majaribio ya ndege ya kwanza mnamo 2020. Chuo cha Imperial cha London kimetoa taarifa ya kuvutia kuhusu vifaa vya ujenzi vinavyoweza kuhifadhi nishati ya umeme, na hivyo kupunguza uzito wa betri za ndege za wakati ujao. "Habari njema ni kwamba wataalamu wengi wana uhakika kwamba tutafika huko, ""Mukhopadhaya anasema, ""Lakini tunaweza kuwa tukizungumza miongo ikiwa sio zaidi hadi teknolojia iwe tayari kwa aina ya ndege za kuvuka mabara ambazo tumezoea. ""Historia inayoendesha siku zijazo Kwa mazungumzo yote ya msisimko ya seli za mafuta za baadaye na vifaa vya umeme vya kisasa, ni furaha kuzingatia kwamba suluhisho la muda mfupi kwa tatizo letu la ndege ya kijani." Ndege ya kwanza iliyoandikwa kuwa imefanikiwa kuruka ilijengwa na Mfaransa Henri Giffard. Giffard aliunganisha injini ya mvuke na propela na mfuko mkubwa wa hidrojeni, na akainuka angani juu ya Paris mwaka wa 1852. Miaka 50 baadaye, ndege ya Giffard ilibadilishwa na kuwa ndege ya kwanza ya kibiashara duniani iliyoundwa na kampuni ya Zeppelin. Ndege za aina ya zeppelin zilitumiwa kusafirisha abiria duniani kote hadi mwaka 1937 wakati ndege ya aina ya Hindenburg iliyokuwa na injini ya hidrojeni (iliyokuwa imefanya safari 36 za kuangusha bahari ya Atlantiki) ilipowaka moto wakati wa kutua New Jersey. Kwa kuwa watu hawakuamini ndege za angani, ndege zenye mabawa ya kudumu zilianza kuruka kwa njia ya kibiashara. Lakini kwa kuwa usafiri wa ndege wa kawaida unahisi kuwa haufai kwa mitindo ya kisasa, makampuni machache ya ndege yamejitokeza. LTA Research, inayoungwa mkono na Sergey Brin, mwanzilishi mwenza wa Google, na Flying Whales, ambayo imepokea fedha kutoka kwa serikali ya Ufaransa. Kampuni ya Uingereza ya Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) na ndege yake ya Airlander 10 ni ndege kubwa ambayo imekuwa ikitengenezwa kwa miaka kumi na inakuja na mauzo ya wazi kwa wasafiri wenye ufahamu wa hali ya hewa. "Wakati sekta ya anga inazingatia kujaribu kuondoa kaboni kwenye ndege zake ndogo, tuna bidhaa ambayo itaingia sokoni inayoweza kubeba watu 100 hadi mahali walipoenda na uzalishaji mdogo wa asilimia 75 kuliko ndege ya kawaida, ""Anaelezea Tom Grundy, Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa HAV." Msalaba kati ya blimp na ndege, Airlander hutumia mwili usio na nguvu unaoweza kufurika uliojaa <unk> isiyoweza kuwaka <unk> helium kuzalisha kuinua, na injini nne za mwako za <unk> ultra-efficient <unk> kuendesha. Pamoja na kasi ya juu ya 80mph (130kph), ni kwa kiasi kikubwa polepole kuliko ndege ya kawaida, lakini uwezekano wa mengi comfier pia, na miundo ikiwa ni pamoja na sakafu kwa dari madirisha na nafasi kwa abiria kwa uhuru kuzunguka. Anasa hiyo ya nafasi pia hutia ndani faida nyingine. "Lengo letu ni kufikia uzalishaji wa sifuri, ""anasema Grundy, ""Na kwa sababu hatuna mapungufu makubwa na uzito au nafasi, changamoto za kuunganisha betri au nguvu ya hidrojeni wakati teknolojia hiyo inapatikana hupunguzwa sana. "" Kampuni hiyo imepangwa kuanza uzalishaji kutoka tovuti ya Yorkshire mwaka huu, na imepata maagizo yake ya kwanza kutoka kwa Kampuni ya Ndege ya Uhispania, Air Nostrum." Lengo la timu hiyo ni kupeleka ndege ya kwanza ya Airlander angani ifikapo mwaka 2026. Kampuni hiyo itaanza kwa kulenga njia fupi za usafirishaji wa kikanda, lakini kubadilika kwa Airlander ni kile Grundy anapata kuvutia, na usafirishaji wa mizigo (kama mbadala wa chini ya kaboni kwa ndege za mizigo) na misaada ya kibinadamu (Airlander haihitaji uwanja wa ndege kutua) sekta za ziada timu hiyo inachunguza. "Ikiwa utaangalia aina tofauti za usafiri ambazo tuna leo, una ndege za kasi sana na kisha una kila kitu kingine kinachoenda juu ya uso", anasema Grundy. <unk>Kwa hiyo, nini kinatokea wakati wewe kuweka aina mpya ya uhusiano katika soko? Ulimwengu <unk> ni wazi kwa ajili yetu kufikiria upya kile tunachofanya kwa hewa.<unk> Cruising anga Kuna, hata hivyo, suala moja ambayo inaweza kuthibitisha tatizo frustrating katika yoyote budding airship renaissance. Ndege za anga hutumia mafuta machache kuliko ndege za anga, lakini karibu zote zina heliamu, ambayo ni rasilimali inayotumiwa sana na sekta ya matibabu na teknolojia kutengeneza vifaa kama vile scanners za MRI na kebo za fiber-optic. Helium ni nadra sana, lakini inaweza kupatikana tu chini ya uso wa dunia, iliyochanganywa na gesi ya asili, ikimaanisha kwamba kuchimba ni muhimu ili kuifikia. Kwa sasa ni sourced kama faida ya bidhaa katika uzalishaji wa gesi ya asili, sekta ya mafuta ya visukuku. Hata hivyo, makampuni kadhaa tayari yameanza kutafuta kile kinachoitwa "helium ya kijani kibichi". Hizi ni amana za gesi ambapo helium ni asili kuchanganywa na nitrojeni, maana hakuna kaboni ni iliyotolewa katika anga wakati wa kukusanya yake. Hii inaweza kutoa suluhisho kwa mahitaji ya helium ya sayari kwa muda mrefu, lakini hadi sasa hakuna amana kama hizo zimefanikiwa kutumiwa. Ingawa helium ni sehemu muhimu ya safari ya ndege, kampuni kama vile HAV zinaona kwamba helium katika ndege zao inaweza kutumika tena na tena, na ni karibu asilimia 15 tu inayohitaji kujazwa kila mwaka baada ya mfumuko wa bei wa awali. HAV inadai kuwa kuendesha meli ya ndege 600 za hybrids ingekuwa tu moja kwa moja ya matumizi ya kila mwaka ya helium ya sayari. Kwa kuwa hifadhi za helium za sasa zinatarajiwa kudumu kwa miaka 50 au zaidi, Jayant Mukherjee anaamini changamoto ya karibu zaidi kwa ndege za anga inaweza kuwa kuwashawishi abiria kuchagua aina ya ndege ya polepole. "Aeroplanes ni maarufu kwa sababu ni haraka, ""anasema, ""Kwa hiyo mabadiliko makubwa ya mawazo yanahitajika kwa aina hizo za usafiri wa polepole kupata traction tena. "" Ninaweza kuona wasafiri wakichukua ndege badala ya ndege ikiwa wanaweza kufanya kazi kwa mbali kwenye ndege. Kwa kushangaza, inaweza kuwa mabadiliko ya mtindo wa maisha ambayo yalitokea kwa sababu ya janga ambalo lilisababisha uharibifu katika tasnia ya anga." "Ningeweza kuona wasafiri wenye ufahamu wa mazingira wakichagua kuchukua ndege badala ya ndege ikiwa wanaweza kufanya kazi kwa mbali, kwa urahisi, kwenye ndege", anasema Mukhopadhaya. <unk>Basi labda wao <unk>si kupoteza siku za likizo katika usafiri. Hii ni ndoto yangu binafsi. <unk> Ndege za uzalishaji wa chini na chumba cha kupumua? Labda ni wakati wa kubadili kwa "hali ya ndege". "Kama ""Nyota ya kuruka"" inavyotusaidia kuvunja upendeleo wa habari mbaya, ""Habari chanya"" inasaidia watu zaidi kuliko hapo awali kupata mtazamo wa usawa na wa kufurahisha wa ulimwengu." Wakati mauti na ukosefu wa habari wa vyombo vingine vya habari unakuwa mkubwa, badala yake tuko hapa kusaidia ustawi wako na kukupa nguvu kufanya tofauti kuelekea siku zijazo bora. 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