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12/18/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4621-12/18/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 
Could the airship be the answer to sustainable air travel – or is it all a load of hot air?
An airship is a self-propelled aircraft that uses lighter-than-air gas like helium to stay and fly in the sky. Since an airship can lift and land vertically, it could be used without infrastructure like a runway or railways. Also, airships are much more environmentally friendly than aircraft, which burn substantial fossil fuels. Airships had been popular in the early 20th century until the Hindenburg, a German commercial passenger-carrying airship with nearly 100 people onboard, caught fire and was destroyed during its landing. The German passenger airship was filled with lighter, more economical, and widely available hydrogen, which is more flammable than helium. Now, with lighter, tougher, and safer materials, new types of airships are being developed. Cargo can be transported from point to point as an airship doesn’t require special infrastructure, so it could transport cargo to disaster areas or remote islands. Also, airships can provide passengers with a sustainable and enjoyable flying experience. Since they fly at a much lower altitude than commercial jets, passengers can enjoy a slower travel experience over the landscape without increased air pressure. As air travel becomes more expensive and crowded, slow but environmentally sustainable airships might offer a good flying experience.
Read the article and learn what modern airships are like.
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20241204-could-the-airship-be-the-answer-to-sustainable-air-travel

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