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| Science & Technology |
| Construction is complete on behemoth airship; first flight planned |
| 2013-01-05 |
| A massive cargo-carrying airship has taken shape inside one of the 17-story wooden blimp hangars at the former military base in Tustin. According to aircraft maker Worldwide Aeros Corp., construction is complete on a 36,000-pound blimp-like aircraft designed for the military to carry tons of cargo to remote areas around the world. The Montebello company hopes to have a first flight in the coming months and to demonstrate cargo-carrying capability shortly thereafter. "This is truly the beginning of a vertical global transportation solution for perhaps the next 100 years,” Chief Executive Igor Pasternak said in a statement. Worldwide Aeros, a company of about 100 employees, built the prototype under a contract of about $35 million from the Pentagon and NASA. The Aeroscraft is a zeppelin with a 230-foot rigid skeleton made of aluminum and carbon fiber. It's a new type of hybrid aircraft that combines airplane and airship technologies and doesn't need a long runway to take off or land because it has piston engines that allow it to move vertically and a new high-tech buoyancy control system. Ultimately, the company wants to be able to carry up to 66 tons. "This will land in Africa, Afghanistan," Pasternak told The Times in September, "a Wal-Mart parking lot -- wherever." |
| Posted by:Beavis |
| #5 Airship designs generally call for several 'bags', or separate air chambers, so that it is still airworthy should there be a "hole". The Hindenberg burned due to its carrying hydrogen instead of helium. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2013-01-05 21:54 |
| #4 Seems they haven't heard of the Hindenburg, one hole, and she sinks. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2013-01-05 20:44 |
| #3 I just like the idea of an airship landing at WalMart. I mean, I'd forego Amazon for a week to see that. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2013-01-05 17:51 |
| #2 and the first new CD/DVD set from Led Zeppelin's 2007 reunion concert is released. Coincidence? I think not |
| Posted by: Frank G 2013-01-05 16:30 |
| #1 I don't think I would fly that giant target over Afghanistan.....just sayin'. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2013-01-05 14:59 |