The tech world is abuzz over the new generation of green flying machine. It is not an airplane. It is not a helicopter. It is not exactly a UFO. It is a modern throwback to the 20th Century zeppelin, a child of the technology boom just prior to World War II. In other words, it is a gussied up blimp. Designer Jean Marie Massaud designed the dirigible in his French based design studio. Thus far Massaud's "manned cloud" exists only in theory, however could be developed over the next few years by French technology transfer company ONERA. (ONERA stands for Office National d'Etudes et de Recherche Aerospatiale). Although this remarkable craft may give us flashbacks to the Hindenburg, what it offers is quite different than its predecessor. It could provide the world with its first glimpse of functional green air travel!
Presently the primary way of circumnavigating the globe is by airplane. The airplane provides speed and relative comfort in this fast paced world. An increasingly unacceptable attribute of them is the monumental pollution they cause both on land and air. The regulations on planes are not as strict as California's restrictions on car emissions!
For example, aircraft that fly overhead emit toxic compounds in such massive amounts that these emissions are spread generally over an area 12 miles long, 12 miles wide on take off, & 12-6 miles long on landing, (per runway or flight track).
Disturbing Data:
· One aircraft take off can burn thousands of pounds of fuel.
· Air pollution from a 747 takeoff is similar to setting an average gas station on fire and flying it overhead.
· When a 747 takes off it is equivalent to 2.4 million lawnmowers being started at the same time.
The possibility of a eco-friendly aircraft, in light of this information, seems all the more important with the state of the environment and ozone as it is today. The world's population will have to sacrifice some aspects of air travel in order to make green air travel possible; patience will have to take precedence over speed.
On a lighter note, this airship is not going to batter us with the fact its eco-friendly, instead its designers focus on the ship's place as a pleasure craft, much like a cruise on a boat is. It will be exclusive and luxurious. Massaud's esoteric press release states that this is an, "alternative project around leisure and traveling in all its form, economic, and experimental, still with the idea of lightness, human experience, and life scenarios as the guiding principles". (Dezeen.com)
The flying cruise ship is a lofty idea, with even more outrageous specs. It makes the Goodyear Blimp look like a rusted out Pinto.
Here are a few details:
- The claim is that this dirigible can go around the world in three days, go to uncharted territory, and not leave a trace.
- The ship can carry a maximum of 15 crewmembers & 40 passengers.
- The ship has 2 decks:
- Deck 1 has a restaurant, lounge, fitness center, and a library.
- Deck 2 has 20 guest rooms, spa, bar, and terraces.
- The ship will also include a sun deck placed on the top.
- The ship can go a maximum speed of 170 km/h (106 mph) and has a cruising speed of 130 km/h (81 mph).
When this ship is launched in the unforeseeable future there will inevitably be a bidding war by the jet setters trying to make the society papers and live in the good adventurous spirit of Sir Richard Branson. But the most newsworthy part of this ship will remain in Plato's world of ideals. It is perfect and is the way to travel without further compromising our Earth's natural resources and bill of health.
http://www.dezeen.com/
http://www.areco.org
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