Are We on the Brink of a Major and Inevitable Aviation Revolution?
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions zeppelins and airships? The early 20th century? Air disasters? Yes, those are common associations, as these large, gas-filled aircraft were used from the early 1900s through the 1940s for passenger transport and military purposes. There were also memorable tragedies, like the Hindenburg disaster in 1937 or the crash of the British R101 during its maiden voyage in 1929.
But those are stories from the past—nearly a century old. The story of airships, however, isn’t over. On the contrary, it’s evolving and expanding and could become part of our future. Today’s airships are far more advanced than their predecessors. Moreover, they offer a potential solution—or at least a partial one—to the environmental damage caused by modern passenger airplanes.
Modern airships, filled with helium, have a much smaller carbon footprint than other aircraft types. They are also quieter, more comfortable, and less cramped…
But can today’s (and near-future) airships really be all-in-one: environmentally friendly, safe, and fast? Yes, the new generation of airships has the potential to completely transform aviation as we know it.
It’s no secret that commercial passenger airplanes are among the biggest polluters in the modern world. Ideally, we’d just stop flying entirely to protect the environment—but that’s clearly not going to happen. Air travel has become essential, and imagining a world without it is almost impossible.
Still, that doesn’t mean we should accept the status quo. Even small progress matters, and companies have been searching for greener, more efficient alternatives for some time now—ones that could even be better suited for passenger transport.
Entering a new era of airships might seem like a novel concept, but it’s actually an old idea, dating back to the 18th century. In 1783, two French brothers, Joseph and Étienne Montgolfier, designed the first hot air balloon. Later, in 1900, German military officer Ferdinand von Zeppelin developed the rigid airship, which was named after him. These German airships became so well-known that the name “zeppelin” stuck to this day.
Then came the Hindenburg disaster in 1937. After that tragedy, airships were simply abandoned. Why did a single incident cause such a drastic halt? There are several reasons, but a major one was that the Hindenburg catastrophe was caught on film and widely shown to the public. The image of the burning Hindenburg shocked many.
Since then, airships have mostly disappeared, existing only in history books, science fiction, or occasionally as floating billboards. No one travels by airship anymore. Hot air balloons are still used, mainly for scenic tours, but that’s strictly for tourism.
Can that really change so drastically? Some believe the future definitely belongs (again) to airships.
So what would today’s airships look like? They would be filled with helium, which is lighter than air, and powered by hybrid engines combining electric motors and internal combustion engines. Many companies are working toward developing fully electric airships by 2030. Even now, airships produce up to 90% less carbon emissions than traditional airplanes.
Traveling by airship would be a very different experience—almost completely silent, gliding through the clouds. Current models can carry around 20 passengers, but new, larger ones are in development that could carry up to 100 passengers.
Airships offer other advantages as well. For instance, they can land almost anywhere, unlike commercial planes that need runways. This means they could get closer to city centers.
So, when can we expect the first passenger airships? Actually, very soon. One of the most promising models is the Airlander 10, developed by Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), a British company founded in 2007 by aviation icon Roger Munk. The Airlander 10 is a hybrid model, featuring large floor-to-ceiling windows that offer passengers spectacular views during the flight. The company hopes the Airlander 10 will be in service by 2025, with plans to produce up to 12 airships per year.
HAV’s CEO, Tom Grundy, has emphasized that the Airlander 10 is not a luxury product but a practical solutionaddressing climate change challenges. It’s designed for medium-range travel—up to 370 kilometers—which is about the air distance from Zagreb to Dubrovnik or Zagreb to Munich.
But that’s just the intended range. In theory, the Airlander 10 can stay airborne for up to 5 days and cover distances of up to 7,000 kilometers!
What about speed? The Airlander 10 has a top speed of 130 km/h, which is, of course, significantly slower than commercial planes that fly at over 800 km/h. But speed isn’t everything. Airships can take off and land much faster and more flexibly than airplanes, avoiding airport delays, long check-ins, and travel to and from distant terminals.
Planes need to “rush” because they have limited fuel. Airships don’t have that problem—they can stay aloft for days!
In the end, the airship could become something like a train or ferry in the sky, ideal for travelers who aren’t in a hurry and who value comfort and experience over speed.
What else is developing in this industry? A lot of exciting things. Take, for example, the French project LCA60T, nicknamed the “Flying Whale.” This airship, designed for cargo transport, resembles a blue whale in appearance. It’s 150 meters long and has a payload capacity of 66 tons. One unique feature is that it can load and unload cargo without landing—it simply hovers close to the ground. Its expected speed is around 100 km/h.
The mere fact that airships like this could deliver goods regardless of ground infrastructure is a clear sign that their widespread use may be just around the corner.
How else do modern airships differ from those 80 years ago? Back then, a major challenge was building engines light enough to fly. The materials just didn’t exist. Today, engines like those on the Airlander 10 are made from Vectran, a powerful liquid crystal polymer.
And how many airships are there in the world today? Virtually none. As of the latest information, only about 25 airshipsare in operation globally, mostly used for advertising or sporting event coverage.
So, no—the revolution hasn’t happened yet. But it is in motion, and if everything goes according to plan, we may have the chance to fly in a completely new way by the end of this decade.
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