Wolfgang von Zeppelin, grandson of the famous German airship pioneer Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, is pushing zeppelins as a green alternative to airplanes, especially for pleasure travel by air, reports Radio Netherlands.
[von Zeppelin] is a firm believer in the environmental benefits of airship transport and has just rounded off a European tour, on which he has been presenting the latest version of his airship to the public. The new model goes by the name of Zeppelin NT, which stands for ‘new technology’.
“At present it is not possible for airships to replace airline passenger planes. Far too expensive! But Zeppelins could well have a part to play on holiday flights to destinations such as Majorca, where speed is not as important.” Of course, Von Zeppelin is quick to point out that tourists should see the flight itself as part of the holiday.
“During the flight, passengers can enjoy space, peace and quiet, and good cuisine, to say nothing of the fantastic view. When you look at it that way, who cares if a flight to a holiday island takes a day and a half?”
And, he claims, airships are environmentally cleaner
Is that true? Radio Netherlands points out that zeppelins “still have to cover the same distance, while the journey may take up to eight times as long,” querying that “surely on balance the level of air pollution must be more or less the same?”
Von Zeppelin counters that “a Zeppelin doesn’t use any fuel at all to stay airborne. The gas that makes the whole craft lighter than air takes care of that. This reduces fuel consumption by half, thereby reducing emissions of greenhouse gas CO2 to the same extent.”
The new generation Zeppelin NT runs on ordinary diesel engines with soot filters, which are claimed to cause far less pollution than jet engines burning jet fuel - essentially, kerosene. But the eco-friendlier claims have their detractors.
Consider me a skeptic. Not of the environmental claims, which I’ll leave for the experts to sort out. I’m skeptical that airships will ever be much more than a tiny niche player in the air transport business again.
Why?
Because when you talk about traveling in airships and people immediately picture this.:
Unfair? Sure. The Hindenburg was filled with hydrogen because of a mid-1930s U.S. military embargo on helium, which would have been far safer. But that’s the image people have. I’d sooner bet money on a resurgence of travel by hot air balloons than zeppelins.
