Aviation Week reported yesterday night, that on August 7th 2000 and 12 LEMV underwent it's madden flight out of Lakehurst New Jersey. No pictures or video as of yet, but this is the big moment we have all been waiting for. Finally the United States Military has a vehicle to prove of disprove airship technology in the 21st century, and on top of that, it's the worlds largest flying object.
Strangely enough this happened on the same day that Discovery Air ended it's deal with Hybrid Air Vehicles to build a fleet of 50 ton cargo variants of these airships. Discovery Air said in a statement "we remain excited about this technology's potential and intend to continue working with HAV to promote the commercialization of heavy lift hybrid air vehicles," So perhaps they are waiting to see what the Army dose with LEMV before they buy, all the more reason for us to show our support of LEMV.
LEMV really couldn't have picked a better time (save last year) to take it's madden flight, as NASA had just completed one the most crazy and intense rover landings on the planet mars in human history. On top of that, American's are winning at the Olympics not only in terms of total gold medal count, but in producing the best Olympic athlete in known human history; Micheal Phelps.
With all these reasons to be prideful to be an American it is likely that the US Economy will see a measure of rebound, which in turn is good for the Airship business as investors will be more likely to invest in airship technology. Blue Devil Block 2 recently got caned by the Airforce when it was only 95% complete. With LEMV coming out at such an opportune time, maybe the Airforce will consider spending the last 5 million needed to finish the 148 million dollar airship.
But even if that doesn't happen, LEMV is the flagship for proving or disproving the hybrid airship concept that the military will use to judge all future efforts that it invests in airship technology. If LEMV should explode in a ball of fire for no good reason, then the airship industry will most likely never recover, and it will mark the true death for airships as we will be more likely to see anti-gravity technology take hold before anyone is willing to invest in airship technology, and by then it will be too late.
On the other hand, if LEMV should happen to be so lucky as to be used in combat for extracting troops form a hostile environment, and happens to prove it is well suited for combat extraction missions because of it's near invonrability to bullets and Rocket Propeller Grenades. Hybrid Airships could quickly become the military's new best friend complementing or replacing helicopters for the same roles.
Given what good things have happened to us Amaricans in the last few weeks, I feel very optimistic about the future. These big old blimps will revolutionize the way we get around. And although things might seem grim now for the people of earth, the cavalry is coming. Airships have the power to revolutionize the cargo industry, and in-turn, raise the stranded of living for everyone on the planet. Just imagine this scenario, the United States could solves it's economic problems by building cargo hybrid airships for a new globule cargo transportation industry. Not only would it create high-tech good paying jobs, but it would help everyone on the planet get the supplies they desperately need.
This is indeed a great day for airship fans, but it just might be a great day for the world.
"Explode in a ball of fire for no good reason" - Ha! Wouldn't that be something for a helium airship to do? I actually did ask them about whether is has self-sealing fuel tanks, but apparently that was a secret.
ReplyDeleteIt's a real bummer that DAI dropped the deal. I only wonder what possible motivation they have- aside from wanting to swoop in second. It makes a logical sort of sense; the first company to buy an "AIRLIFTER 50"(the rebranded HAV 366) would naturally incur most of the initial costs of hiring a bigger staff, building production infrastructure, prototyping, training, etc. They probably still want to buy some, but only after they've been on the market and cost even less.
You are absolutely correct that all hope is resting on the LEMV- but judging by the smoothness of the takeoff, there will be no problems at all.
Lastly, I'm frankly mystified that you think that airships have a hidden potential as interdiction craft- much in the way of helicopters. You're far from the first person to suggest it, but I still can't wrap my brain around it. Yes, airships and especially hybrid airships can take a downright ridiculous amount of gunfire, but what about after? They still have to be patched up and reinflated, and as anyone could tell you, airship envelopes need to be absolutely immaculate. Furthermore, landing presents an issue. Sure, airships can hover, but what if it HAS to land? They're simply far bulkier and less nimble than helicopters, even if they can land on any (large, open)flat surface.
However, you'll see no argument from me that slow, frightfully inefficient, weak, vulnerable heavy transport helicopters are like dodo birds, compared to hybrid airships' eagle. Easy pickings.
As I understand it, the hall of LEMV and other Hybrid Airships is weldable. So they can use scrap envelope material to weld up bullet holes and the like on the field. I imagine it would also take a lot of welded bullet hole patches to actually compromise the structural integrate of the envelope to the point that it would need to be replaced. But only by actually throwing some hybrid airships into battle can we truly find out the answer to that question.
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