About freight blimps:
First: Aluminium is flammable, and is actually used as a part of rocket fuel. It only ignites at very high temperatures though, so that doesn't matter. ((For that matter, most matter burns at sufficient temperature))
Second: A lightning strike is not capable of igniting an airship, as long as the hull is not flammable / breached. Hydrogen needs oxygen to burn. Pure hydrogen won't ignite
Third: The same for every other ignition source. I mean, smoking was allowed in the Hindenburg. (Though only in a pressurized room, to prevent ignition if a leak would occur)
Fourth: We do have significant improvements in materials. We can use Compression systems to prevent the need to vent hydrogen*, we can build mostly fireproof compartments, and the hull won't be flammable**
Fifth: We can design save airships from the beginning. The Hindenburg was the only airship that crashed due to ignition***, mainly because it was initially designed to fly using helium. It therefore had some unfortunate design choices, which allowed vented hydrogen to accumulate and ignite. The previous airship, The Graf Zeppelin, used a volatile, just as heavy as air fuel, but never had any trouble despite it's lengthy service lifetime. The worst dangers for airships were storms and navigation troubles. They're not that strong, and during a storm the instruments were often inaccurate, leading to an unscheduled landing.
*If it never mixes, it doesn't ignite
**Note: The Hindenburg was flammable, but it was not coated in thermite, or whatever silly things you read on the internet.
***Not counting military airships that were actively or passively being shot at. Or airships that first crashed, then burned.
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Topic: Things that made you absolutely terrified today (Read 1849093 times)