Zeppelin manufacture
Interior of Zeppelin NT
Zeppelin NT
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A century after the first flight of a Zeppelin in Germany, a new airship is being developed by Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik of Friedrichshafen. The Zeppelin NT LZ NO7, a semi-rigid airship that made its maiden flight in 1997, took part in a ceremony in July for the vehicle's "official launch" by Frau Elisabeth Veil, granddaughter of Count Graf von Zeppelin (founder of the Zeppelin company) exactly 100 years after the first flight of his LZ1.
Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik has a direct link to the company (Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH) founded by the Count in 1908. For many years after the tragic accidents involving the Hindenburg and the British R101 in the 1930s (they used hydrogen as a lift gas) and the advance of fixed-wing technology, the concept of the airship as a mass people or freight carrier was all but abandoned. However, with new manufacturing techniques, new technology, and the general use of inert helium gas, the airship has found various niche roles.
The manufacturer of the 75-m-long NT regards it as well suited for tourism, advertising, and special missions. It is scheduled to be certificated for carrying passengers next year. It is capable of making flights of up to 24 hours and the first production model, the S/N 02, is scheduled to make its first flight soon.
The new Zeppelin contains its helium lift gas in an envelope of high-strength multi-layer laminate fabric. Air ballonets inside the envelope, which has a volume of 8225 m3, provide an internal over-pressure of 0.5 kPa. The rigid framework weighs about a ton and uses triangular carbon-fiber frames and three aluminum longerons braced by aramide cables. All the main components of the airship, such as cabin, empennage and engines, are mounted on the rigid structure. The airship has three Textron Lycoming IO-360 engines, each powered at 147 kW, positioned at the side and rear. Maximum level flight speed is 125 km/h and range is 900 km. Maximum takeoff weight is 8040 kg, with a maximum payload of 1900 kg. The airship can carry up to 12 passengers in addition to two pilots.
Stuart Birch
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Aerospace Engineering September 2000
