[tyw]

Watched the video, don't think they mentioned it... any idea how fast it is? They said it can fly for up to 5 days, but without knowing cruising speed it's hard to say how useful it could be for moving people and cargo around when there's other options.

[dredmorbius]

Airships typically range from around 60 - 130 mph airspeed, with the latter being attained by some newer and very aerodynamic models.

Looks as if the Airlander's good for about 100 mph from this:

http://www.infotales.com/airlander-the-largest-airship-in-th...

[Pxtl]

So best-case scenario it can go 2400 miles, assuming it can refuel on arrival. While it could hop and be managed at any local field with a fuel dump, I do wonder how well it can handle the elements if kept outside at a stretch. Crossing the Atlantic would be tricky, for example.

So while "disaster relief" is a good use for this thing, rapid response is not. It's in for the long haul - you set up in a neighboring city and use it to ferry goods back and forth. But by the time it arrives, the existing disaster-relief structure may have more conventional approaches to shipping in goods/personnel (rail/train/ships/runways)

... this thing really seems to be a solution looking for a problem. If the technology could be made cheap, I could see the worth of a low fuel-to-weight ratio for air-freight in servicing remote areas (places above the arctic circle come to mind) but that's a mass-produced fleet of flying trucks, not a lone relief ship.

[dredmorbius]

I see the major advantage in being shuttling between a field (or port) in which conventional transport can be utilized, and a specific disaster locale in where you cannot land a 747, C130, or dock a PANAMAX ship. Utilize those for the long-haul, then use the airship to shuttle between your full-service port and the specific locations which are cut off.

When you're talking about the difference between getting supplies to a region that's cut off from the rest of the world, even a 10km or 100km haul can be hugely useful, and the airship can cover that distance in 6 - 60 minutes.