Airships - transport of the future or past?

[Bob Carter]

I'm sure I remember helium airships being touted in the 1970s as one future of air travel. Goodyear built one which still does the rounds advertising its wares and there are others but they're still only just airborne advertising signboards. Is anyone working on airships for passenger travel these days?

[Diablod666]

i doubt anyone is, aeroplanes are much faster, and if you wanted a slower, more scenic journey then hot air balloons are what people go for instead. The airship is somewhat a thing of the past now. even now small planes have banners strapped to the back of them to advertise things more than airships, as planes have the advantage of being faster (can cover more advertising ground) and also they make a noise so people look up at the banner, whereas noone ever sees airships! they are just floating balloons that noone sees.

sorry bob, but i doubt airships are going to be used for passenger travel anymore. :'o(

[Clanad]

Actually,rigid airships are in transportation services now.  They are used for transporting large weight cargos, albeit for relatively short distances, such as logging in hard to reach areas of the Pacific northwest of the US.  The possibility of use for passenger transport is still viable.  Check here for more information

http://www.germanculture.com.ua/library/weekly/aa082501a .htm