Blimps

I've always been rather fascinated by blimps. If I remember correctly we did see the Goodyear Blimp when we were in Palm Springs...perhaps part of the Cochela Music Festival? From "Interesting Facts" "In terms of speed and safety, airplanes have largely outpaced airships, but there is one metric where airships still reign — efficiency. Scientists have dreamed up many ways to slowly wean ourselves off fossil fuels (think solar panels, wind turbines, and electric cars), but airplanes remain a conundrum. Some estimates project that by 2050, 27% of the world’s carbon budget (under targets developed to keep the global temperature rise below a 1.5 degree Celsius increase from pre-industrial levels) could come from aviation. That’s why some researchers have begun reexamining the airship. Because of its buoyancy and ability to ride the global jetstreams, airships use significantly less fuel. One ambitious airship company says its dirigibles could run at only 8% of the fuel cost of a typical jet airliner. Because of safety issues and long travel times, airships would only be practical for short-distance commercial flights or for hauling cargo, but they could still have a significant place in a greener future."