TECHNICAL-SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL ON MODERN AEROSTATIC PROBLEMS    MONTGOLFIER  #1 Edited by AEROPLAST Inc., Kyiv, Ukraine, 2003. AEROPLAST is one of the oldest aerostatic centers in the former USSR. AEROPLAST systematically  investigates  aerostatic  problems  and  develops  the  lighter-than-air  vehicles designs of new generation since 1960. Chief Editor: Mr. Alexander POLYANKER (Kyiv, Ukraine); Editorial board: Mr. Igor SPITSYN (Kaliningrad, Russia) Mr. Vladimir PARKHOMENKO (Kyiv, Ukraine); Mr. Vladimir TSARIKOVCKIY (Kyiv, Ukraine); Mr. Alexander GALINSKIY (Kyiv, Ukraine); -----------------------------------------------------   So, we present for your kind attention the journal MONTGOLFIER!   We  launch  it  having  a  hope  to  find  new  friends,  sympathizers  and  admirer  of ideas, which we are going to expose here. The journal is dedicated to cherished memory of our dear and untimely left us during passed years  friends and colleagues: Mr. Roman GOKHMAN Mr. Lev KONSTANTINOV Mr. Dmitriy GALINSKIY Mr. Vladimir USTINOV C  O  N  T  E  N  T  S   Mr. Alexander POLYANKER IS  AEROSTATION    ABLE    TO    FAVOUR    STATE   PROSPERITY  AND  DEFENSE,  OR  BRIEFLY  ABOUT   PROJET OF  AEROSTATIC  ATMOSPHERE  OPENING   UP  SYSTEM  (SAOAT) THE BASICS OF GAS AND HEAT AIRSHIP THEORY. PART 1. Mr. Lev KONSTANTINOV  

Mrs. Vera MITIAGINA - DIOMINA
Mrs. Ludmila EIHENVALD v IVANOVA
Mr. Vladimir USTINOVICH

Mr. Alexander POLYANKER    IS AEROSTATION ABLE TO FAVOUR STATE PROSPERITY   AND DEFENSE, OR BRIEFLY ABOUT PROJECT OF   AEROSTATIC ATMOSPHERE OPENING UP SYSTEM (SAOAT) We  do  understand  Joseph  and  Etien  Montgolfiers,  brothers  Rights  and  other  admirable inventors,, whom were gazing in the sapphire of the skies, dreaming to fly like a birds and to get the hang of the environment. They are - the fortunate few - had realized their dream! Brothers  Right  were  luckier.  We  think  about  that  sitting  in  comfortable  seat  of  roomy passenger  cabin  in  Boeing  747.  I  presume  that  comfort  level  of  great  airship  “Hindenburg”  was higher, and unfortunately, but now already mercifully, I was not over there. The  highest  achievements  of  aerostation  were  distanced.  The  “Golden  age”  and  mortifying declension of aerostation became a history. Is it possible to presume that blimps flying in some countries, which best adornment of them was  airship  “SKYSHIP”,  is  a  regeneration  of  aerostation?  May  be  it  should  be  a  kind  of exaggeration, which is wishful thinking. Aerostatic thought just had begun to be recovered became monotonous very soon. Is it possible, that aerostation in persons of nowadays ambitious Jiffars, Renares, Crabses and Zeppelins can propose nothing for civilization, which different binladens and disasters are going to destroyed, except on airships which are very much strikingly alike and monotonously repeated like clones of sheep Dolly? Aerostation can be more helpful for a state under a changed angle of approach to it. ___________________ There was a wide discussion of “worldwide energy crisis” in the World or better to say in the press just two decades ago. It is difficult to say was the problem real or factitious, but in a time the problem was forgotten like it was not at all. May be human habit was a reason. The habit can be expressed  in  Russian  proverb  “till  thunderbolt  will  crack  from  the  sky,  muzhik  will  not  cross himself”, or the same in American joke: Gentleman falling down from skyscraper near 20^th floor had told - “Till now everything is O.K.” But in reality not everything is O.K. It is became clear that fossil fuel, which was long time as a  base  of  energy  balance  in  the  World,  will  be  exhausted.  The  fact  of  fuel  resources  exhaustion became feelable. New kinds of energy need economical expenses increase. The epoch of cheap energy and low prices for oil has passed us by. Cost of energy will be increased permanently. The mentioned above and other problems were the subject of discussion on UN Conference, Nairobi in August 1981. The UN Conference was dedicated to new and renewable energy sources. They  like  to  recall  about  those  outstanding  and  secret  energy  sources,  when  they  want  to becalm  themselves  with  a  hope,  that  nothing  is  lost,  that  still  there  are  some  additional  energy sources.  And  those  energy  sources  can  be  used  and  they  are  renewable,  that  is  they  can  safe  us under  the  critical  moment  by  any  miracle  way…  Furthermore  such  kind  of  energy  sources  is existing  really.  These  are  permanently  renewable  sources  of  Ocean  and  Atmosphere.  Reserve  of these sources is colossal. For example, difference of temperature between surface and bottom water mass in the Ocean is equal about 20 C. Internal (heat) water mass energy which is equivalent to energy for creation such difference of temperature (about 20 C) equals to 10²⁶ Joule. Ocean streams kinetic energy is evaluated as 10¹⁸ Joule.  

Unfortunately only „p little part of the energy can be utilized under rather high and long term recoupment  of  the  capital  investments.  I  try  to  wrestle  with  mayself  and  temptation  to  waste  a journal space in order to describe here the outstanding ideas and projects for Oceans and seas water power which can to be used as generators consuming the energy of waves, of tidal electric power plants, hydrogen being exacted of sea water, etc. But our main goal is to describe another environment, more close to us - an air and a project which  -  according  to  our  opinion  -  could  be  a  part  of  the  answer  for  the  question  raised  above, namely  -  what  modern  aerostation  can  suggest  to  civilization  –  about  project  of  Aerostatic Atmosphere Opening Up System (SAOAT). The possible ways of atmosphere energy utilization is shown in particular in the project. One of them is to get electricity and transmit it further to the earth, and another one is to use it directly “at place”, that is in the air, for example, to supply stations mounted at the special lighter-than-air (LTA) vehicles like retransmission relaying, surveillance radar or meteorological automatic stations with independent power supply, and for dozens of other purposes. And of cause, we did not ignore traditional use of air as an supporting transport medium between any two points on the Earth, that is of very convenient quality. One  common  element  was  chosen  to  resolve  all  those  different  problems  in  the  project SAOAT.. This element is rather universal flying vehicle such as airship with rigid body made of composite  materials  on  the  same  design  and  technological  ideas.    As  a  bathyscaphe  is  used  for Ocean   deep-water   investigation,   as   the   airship   became   the   “bathyscaphe”   for   atmosphere investigation. By the way, famous physician Augjust Pikkar was known as designer of stratostat for investigations  about  16000  meters  altitudes  and  bathyscaphe  for  investigations  about  3000  meter depths. Nowadays wind power was based on use wind energy of surface wind layer till the last time. This layer of atmosphere is less profitable from the point of view of wind speed and its stability. Such condition handicaps for making of powerful wind station. Specific  share  of  wind  power  stations  is  rather  little  in  common  value  of  the  whole  World energy stations balance.  But resources of wind energy on the Earth are renewable permanently and they are much higher than resources of heat and hydro energy. Movement  of  air  mass  in  troposphere  is  constant  and  it  occurs  according  to  the  definite physics  laws.  Due  to  this  reason  a  huge  air  mass  flows  support  rather  small  difference  between temperatures of tropical and poles areas.  Let me expose two abstracts from the book written by Clyde Orr, Ir “Between Earth and Space”, New York, 1959. First one is “Wind is blowing around the  Earth  for  ages  can  be  like  a  gigantic  thermodynamic  engine  for  heat  distribution,  the  engine powered  by  the  energy  of  the  Sun”.  And  next  one  is  “  The  Earth  rotation  operates  by  the  wind direction like flywheel”. The air heat interfusion is restricted almost in troposphere (about 11 km at midlatitudes). The air temperature stays approximately constant in stratosphere from 11 till 30 km. Wind state in troposphere is explored rather well now. These researches were launched in the USA more than 60 years ago. The same investigations were started in other countries a little bit later. And now we have possibility to make such conclusion: -     maximum wind velocity in troposphere is about 20…25 m/s; -     wind  velocity  recurrence  is  about  80…90%.  It  means  that  wind  flow  is  rather  stabilized  and exists over any point of the Earth, may be excluding equator area; -     in  winter  the  wind  flow  velocity  increases  and  altitude  decreases(by  1,5  km  approximately). This reason is helpful for utilization of wind flow energy as well. - Thus, this wind energy layer, so called tropopause, need to be explored and utilized. A group of engineers including R. Gokhman, I. Spitsyn, L. Konstantinov, G. Vanshtein and A. POLYANKER proposed two captive balloons: TWES and TWES-1. They were almost the same  

on  design  but  different  on  volume.  Assembled  with  wind  turbine  and  electricity  generator  the captive balloon is climbed in tropopause for a long time. TWES with power of 2000 kW  transfers the  electricity  to  the  earth.  TWES-1  with  lesser  power  of  50  kW    supplies  with  electricity  the equipment on the captive balloon, which can be named as aerostatic retransmission station - ARS. The  captive  balloon  TWES  with  volume  of  220  thousand  m³  is  shaped  as  ellipsoid  of revolution with linear dimensions of 168x50 m.  Rigid envelope of the balloon is manufactured of three layer composite materials. Existing strength of the envelope is rather high under low weight of it  (1,2  …1,4  kg/m²,  under  thickness  of  the  envelope  near  10…15  mm)  and  has  good  operation reliability.  Hydrogen  or  helium  are  inflated  into  special  film  gas  holders  which  are  parts  of aerostatic  carrying  system  and  create  with  the  envelope  two  contours  of  leak-proofness  for mentioned operation gas. Idea of high altitude wind flow utilize is not new. The patent on high altitude wind power station  was  registered  as  early  as  1929.  Wind  turbines  for  electrical  generator  were  mounted  on captive balloon with usual soft envelope. According to the authors idea the station had to operate in the stabilized and more powerful wind flow on high (to authors mind) altitude above the surface air layers. But  due  to  absence  of  materials  with  high  performances  for  such  station  there  was  no possibility to provide long life and reliability of the balloon and rope-cable especially, which was used  for  the  balloon  tying  and  electricity  transmission.  As  well,  normal  station  operation  at  the altitudes above 300…500 m was out of the question. The necessary materials for such station were developed only by last decades. But the main reason was unacceptability of design implementation of this idea. According to the project SAOAT, the aggregate as a single whole (balloon and wind turbine, not separate windmills hanged on the balloons as it was in 1929 s patent) climbs into wind flow to 10,000 m (not 500m!!!). The aggregate includes wind wheel installed a little behind midsection of the  balloon;  they  form  so  called  “aerostat-wind  turbine”  system.  The  mentioned  aerodynamic scheme can withdraw maximum power from the wind flow under minimum drag of such system. The wind turbine and 2000 kW  power alternative electricity generator shows an entity design for energy production. Then this energy transmits through especially structured rope-cable. Choice of rope-cable fixing point to the balloon and static and dynamic components of the aerostat  lift  force  create  the  conditions  for  stabilized  position  of  captive  balloon.  Although  wind flow near tropopause possesses high rate of stability, there is possibility of TWES operation under pretty  much  increase  or  decrease  of  wind  velocity  in  comparison  with  estimated  average  wind velocity. The captive balloon under average wind velocity is inclined with rope-cable on 20 from the  vertical.  Excessive  lift  of  static  and  dynamic  component  creates  force  that  balances  drag  of aerostat-wind turbine system. Increasing of wind velocity till maximum value that is known from troposphere investigations with  sounding  balloons  brings  to  increase  the  excessive  lift  at  the  altitude.  The  balance  can  be achieved by increasing of angle between the vertical and line connecting fixing point on the balloon and fixing point on the ground (anchor of the balloon) in gap from 20 to 29 . The aerostat is still on the same altitude because rope-cable can be extended (unwinded) from a spool according to current wind  flow  condition.  Furthermore,  the  angle  of  attack  is  changed  due  to  change  of  fixing  point location on the balloon by action of special trim change mechanism. The  wind-turbine  blade  angle  is  adjusted  to  ensure  the  constancy  of  output  power  and frequency. Plenty of other problems as to the TWES life time and reliability are investigated and resolved in the project, such as: gas heating in the envelope, lightning protection of the balloon and harness,, so on. Seeming simplicity of the discussing problem resolve by no means to promise so- called “easy life” and at least three key problems need to be resolved as a condition of the project implementation: -     aerostat-carrier with strength that can provide normal operation under hurricane; -     harness (rope-cable system) available to carry a load near 40…45 tons under vertical position of the balloon;  

-     electric generating and transmitting system. There is a lot of ways how to solve the mentioned above problems and they are described partially hereinafter. _____________________ The   aerostat-carrier   of   the   TWES   must   be   simple   and   light   and   meets   at   least   two requirements,  which  are  mismatched,  namely:  to  be  strength  and  rather  light  at  the  same  time. Investigation of different designs and materials for hull of airships has led to developing of three- ply hull made of composite materials with honeycomb or tube type sandwich. By now such type of the  airship  hull  designs  and  technology  of  their  manufacture  are  used  in  world  aviation  industry already widely. We also possess rather experience and number of inventions in the sphere of hulls for airship manufacture as well. The    rope-cable  system  is  second  indispensable  condition  for  the  project  practicability. Reliable   synthetics   ropes   exist   some   decades   including   rope-cable   with   tearing   strength   as following: 42 tons for diameter of rope 30 mm, 60 tons for diameter of rope 35 mm, 75 tons for diameter of rope 38 mm. The system of 2000 kW  electricity generating and its 10 km transmission is seemed not very complicated for nowadays industry level. That is a task, but not problem. Thus,  there  are  no  essential  and  fundamental  obstacle  for  utilization  of  high  altitudes  wind flows. The TWES performances: -     TWES basic construction materials are: -     type of hull design is rigid semi-monocoque one; -     volume of the aerostat-carrier - 220 thousand m³; -     operational altitude - 9.5…11 km (in middle latitudes); -     power of electric generator - 2000 kW  under voltage 10 kV and three-phase current; -     annual electric energy production - 16 million kW -h; -     wind turbine external diameter - 53 m; -     TWES gross weight with rope-cable - 45 tons; -     rope-cable length - up to 12 km; -     specific materials consumption - about 30…40 kg/kW . Economic success of the electrical power station is defined by the following:   -     low cost of one kilo Watt (the cost is closed to specific cost of nowadays thermoelectric power stations, and in some times less than cost of existing hydroelectric stations of the same power); -     low  specific  consumption  of  materials  (6…10  times  less  than  one  of  surface  wind  power stations and in hundreds times less than other types of thermo- and hydropower plants); -     high rate of mobility; -     short recoupment period. - -      TWES-1 or ARS - aerostatics retransmission relaying station is the same TWES in essence, but as  it  was  mentioned  above  producing  power  of  it  is  less  45…50  kW.  The  special  relay equipment is installed on the TWES-1. The TWES-1 appreciably tells from the TWES not only by lesser volume, but by absence of complex electric transmission system to the earth as well. Its equipment uses all electric energy producing on the ARS.   - The  volume  of  captive  balloon  TWES-1  is  27.5  thousand  m³  and  it  is  shaped  as  ellipsoid  of revolution with linear dimensions of 84x25 m. The TWES-1 in two times lesser of TWES, but designs  of  their  hulls  are  the  same.  Operation  control  of  the  TWES-1  is  executed  by  radio commands from the earth.  

Some wind power station TWES can be joined together and operate as wind station farms on the  ground  and  produce  more  electricity.  Nevertheless  single  TWES  can  be  used  for  different purposes: -     regional power plant, where there is no any another sources of energy; -     mobile power plant for new civil engineering at difficult of access regions, where other source of energy are absent and region is hard-to-reach. -     mobile power plant for rescue mission in case of nature or industry disasters. The TWES can be used both in on sea and on earth. The TWES can be delivered to the region of catastrophe by airship or helicopter. And in such case the independent station is very valuable. __________________ According to biblical expression, “If you have an ear you can hear something!» we would like  to  address  to  those  of  gentlemen  who  have  the  ear  and  can  hear,  and  to  adduce  them additionally a concrete example how to use TWES. The droughts are ineradicable curse to agriculture till today. The TWES can be used to obtain preliminary  planned  high  results  of  stable  harvests,  that  can  be  executed  by  controlled  the  light, temperature and water supply conditions of plant development on limited territory. The creation of special  agriculture  areas  with  intensive  farming  is  a  reasonable  way  in  regions  where  climate influence on production is rather high and traditional energy resources are absent or far from it. The unique energy resource for such agriculture areas is both high altitude and earth winds only. The wind power is transformed into electricity by the TWES and special sun-wind power assembly; (its project is developed as well and we have to describe it in the next issuances of “Montgolfier ). In such a way you can avoid the utilization of any mineral fuel and  form  the  clean  ecological zones.   And   it   is   not   any science fiction at all. For  example,  square  of such    agriculture    area    can occupy  about  10000  hectares. The  infrastructure  (agrotown) of  the  area  is  created  at  its center.  The  intensive  farming zone  with  square  about  1000 hectares is located around it. Photosynthesis   is   main and  typical  function  of  green plant.  Essentially,  agriculture is  a  system  of  utilizing  this main  and  typical  function  of green plant. Thus, there is possibility to create the intensive farming area    on    the    square    1000 hectares where ideal conditions for guaranteed yield    are    supplied    by    the TWES   under   any   droughts. The energy of wind power can  

provide optimal irrigation regime, temperature and at last daylight period prolongation as it used only in hotbed conditions. Simultaneously the problem of many farming operations automation and mechanization  is  resolved.  Other  agriculture  area  is  used  for  extensive  farming,  where  habitual methods of operation are used for farming.   The rigid aerostat is named as “ bathyscaphe” in the project SAOAT not occasionally. We did not search a comparison only or metaphor, but so to say, we would like to underline the standard of strength or level which needs to be reached in the vehicle. Furthermore, that the same design and technologies decisions were used in projects of airships, in particular, the airship D-1 design with volume of 27.5 thousand m³ and cargo capacity of 14 tons (a prototype of TWES-1) has the same type of construction as airship D-4 with volume of 220 thousand m³ and cargo capacity of 120 tons (a prototype of TWES). Both of the mentioned airships are integral parts of the project SAOAT. Analysis  of  airships  decline  reasons  at  the  first  half  of  20^th  century  shows,  that  ignition  of hydrogen took a place, next after the airship construction strength loss, but just the strength was a primary factor. It was almost impossible to calculate exactly the strength of such complex structures as frameworks of giant rigid airships at those times. Therefore, in chaos of destroying even alone spark kindled this prompt, such quick hydrogen flame. It would not like to exchange a cause and an effect by places. More detailed aspects of the analysis will be exposed in the next issuance of the “Montgolfier” journal. .We are sure that airship was born before its age. The level of techniques and science did not allow to get an adequate rate of reliability: such possibilities appeared just some decades ago. It goes without saying that our wish to use an atmosphere as supporting medium connecting permanently any two points of the Earth surface is greatly tempting. Nevertheless till the day no one would  have  dreamt  about  airship  when  discussing  the  problems  of  air  transportation.  And  it  is interesting - why? You know, there were the excellent examples of transportation by airships. Let us speculate about that taking into account a conception of the project SAOAT. As air transport advances, it makes new height demands of aircraft as separate as combined. Some  technical  requests  for  dynamic  aircraft  (airplanes  and  helicopters)  were  determined  as unachievable in 70s of last century. Those requests are still unachievable in spite of many attempts and expenses done to resolve the problem. For example the following technical requirements can not be resolved at the nearest future: -     substantial increase of air transportation share in total freight turnover (under 1%); -     long distance air transportation of large and heavy loads out of airfields and under acceptable cost; -     joining of air transportation and assembling of big and heavy structures by use of aircraft under condition of any needed duration and assembling accuracy; -     another quality leap in safety, reliability air transportation and fuel saving; -     lowering of weather minima; practically total all-weather and regularity of transportation. I can remind, that German transatlantic airships kept the schedule under almost 100% regularity 60 years ago; -     possibility of transportation of cargo and passengers according to the rule “from door to door” and landing within the city due to higher level of flight safety, all-weather operation and low noise; -     elimination  of  noise  in  passenger  cabin  and  providing  of  high  comfort  level  for  passengers, which can be reached on ocean liner only. The  demands  mentioned  above  are  rather  difficult  or  even  impossible  to  meet  for  dynamic aircrafts exactly due to the dynamic method of lift creation. Nevertheless even most prefect airships of past age was  n o t   a c c e p t a b l e  for that as well. Thus, we have to present our vision of modern airship conception.  

The  airship  is  the  controllable  aerostat.  As  it  seems  to  us  more  correct  definition  is  the following: airship is a type of aircraft, namely: an aircraft with aerostatics carrying system. Just the availability of carrying system, but not only a gas holder filled with gas characterizes the modern airship.  Also,  for  modern  airplane  such  special  part  is  not  simply  wing,  but  wing  equipped  with slats, flaps, interceptors and so on. Presence of the aerostatics carrying system defines the main performances of airship. There is a  conceptualization  that  airship  has  only  disadvantages  natural  for  it,  such  as  “big  sail  area”, “dynamic instability” and others. It should be noted that the conceptualization is not exact or even is wrong in principle. The main modern airship features are: -     simplicity,  reliability  and  low  cost  of  vertical  taking-off,  landing,  hovering  and  low  altitude flight under small speed; -     independence  of  carrying  system  normal  operation  from  failure  of  power  plant  or  control system, any change of airship external shape, or because of pilot errors; -     flying  weight  to  area  surface  ratio  increases  directly  proportionally  to  linear  dimension  and inversely proportional to outside air density;   -     combination of aerostatics and aerodynamics features. The first two features demonstrate the potential value of airship. The next two ones need to be strictly  taken  into  consideration  in  the  time  of  airship  projecting.  Thus  it  can  help  to  realize possibilities of feasibility study and advantages of aerostatics carrying system in full. The  every  element  of  the  airship  structure  needs  to  be  developed  and  manufactured  on condition   of   the   main   operational   airship   characteristics   achievement:   safety,   reliability, profitability, wide option of use, effective operation and high productivity in operation of transport and mounting means by the way, this circumstance defines the value and major advantage of the air transport. And the mentioned airship characteristics can be achieved even at the expense of loss of other important qualities, such as maximal flying altitudes and speeds, minimum gross sizes, which are peculiar to other types of aircraft.   Only concrete designing of the airship can show adequacy of modern techniques development level to realize all potential and valued their own distinctive belonging operational advantages. -------------------------------------------------- Although in the past even the biggest airships were equipped with the soft envelope, it should renounce such envelope, because it has low operational reliability and low service life and is very difficult to parking, ground handling and maintenance under the open sky. According to our developments dedicated to the discussing matter, the rigid trilaminar shell made   of   polymer   (glass,   carbon   and   other   organic   components)   composite   materials   with honeycomb or tube type sandwich, oriented in optimal way (along the direction of acting loads}, is most  technological  and  easy  for production. It  is  important  to  note  the high level of the shell manufacture   mechanization   and rather   simple   machinery   for   it. One  square  meter  of  such  shell weights 1.2 … 1.4 kg. This is one of the initial date for choice of the designed airship volume. Although an airship “lives” for  a  long  time  now,  more  than 150    years,    and    the    gigantic airships  were  designed  and  they flown,  we  proceed  from  the  fact that no big-sized airship has manufactured with modern technologies of composites. So, there is no  

experience  in  this  sphere.  That  is  why  the advisable    step    is    definition    of    minimum volume  for  rigid  airship  with  composite  shell under  condition  of  possibility  to  show  all  its potential operational and maintenance performances as following: -     load  ratio  (payload  and  fuel)  is  50%  of total    weight    under    required    power-to- weight ratio, helium as carrying gas; -     specific load on side of airship comparable with   wing   loading   of   the   modern   light airplane. - It  was  defined  that  the  optimal  volume  of  the  airship  is  25…30  thousand  m³.  Volume  of  such airship  is  between  middle  and  big  volume airships according to old classification. The mentioned above ideas were based on project rigid type airship D-1 (and its modification D -1M1) with volume 27.5 thousand m³ and load up to 14 tons. `Furthermore,  such  aircraft  become  a  kind  of  “proving  ground”  where  design,  operation  and technology   methods,   flying   procedures   of transporting     and     cargo     carrier     can     be developed and improved. Naturally,  increasing  of  airship  volume leads to increasing of its weight effectiveness, the    mentioned    effect    can    be    limited    by technical  or  economical  bounds,  for  example, demand  of  cargo  transportation  regularity  or and time of cargo loading.    Now there is no any reason to debate the making     of     airship     with     volume     under 220…250 thousand m³. The airship D-1M1 is a prototype of the airship D-4 (220 thousand m³, 120 tons useful load). The linear dimension of airship D-4 is in two  times  more  of.  This  type  of  airship    is  designed  for  general  industrial  use  and  now  it  is expediently  to  apply  into  practice  just  such  vehicle.  The  gap  in  load-carrying  capacity  between airships D-1M1 and D-4 is intended to have fill with airships D-2 (load-carrying 30 tons) and D-3 (60 tons). Nevertheless this gap can be filled in more effective manner, namely, assembling 2, 3 or 4  airships  D-1M1  into  one  block.  It  stays  possible  due  to  rigid  hull,  especial  enforcements  and attachment points. Thus, one type of the airship solves more difficult problems. It seems to me that it s quite enough to have only two types of airship for to day.  

Lets     take     into     consideration,     that profitability  of  the  airship  is  sufficient  even under   30%   of   payload   thanks   to   its   low transportation cost. Following     ideas     were     taken     into consideration     under     the     airships     design development.   Aerodynamic and force configurations of the airship structure. The   main   requirement   to   airship   aerodynamic configuration  is  the  minimization  of  drag,  and  the  main requirement to force configuration is minimum weight of the    dirigible    structure.    The    investigation    of    both mentioned factors leads to conclusion, that fineness ratio of the airship body must be decreased as compared with Zeppelin  and  become  equal  from  3  to  4.  So,  for  D-1M1 and D-4 it is choose 3.36. The same investigation shows that  circle  is  the  most  advantageous  cross-section  of  the body. The tail unit of the airship must have rather big area due to stability requirements intensified by  shortened  and  symmetrical  (relatively  midsection)  body,  the  more  so,  as  it  is  located  in  the stagnant flow.  Such tail unit was developed for D-1 at the beginning. But then the tail unit evolved from T-shaped sweepback with additional ventral (underbody) fin to more effective in D-1M1, named as “active tail” as it is accepted in shipbuilding. The airship body according to force scheme (loading chart) under load-bearing skin should be made as semi-monocoque design with low overpressure. In this case the widely spaced ring frames and   beams   perceives   and   distributes concentrated     loadings     and     provides survivability of the airship and overpressure prevents the surface buckling  under  the  maximum  value  of calculated proof load factor. Power-to-weight  ratio  and  power plant. Cruising  speed  is  a  basic  factor  to define  the  power-to-weight  ratio  of  the airship. Statistics data of the first airship flights experience, and the last wind flow speed probability distribution during 365 days  a  year,  and  equivalent  wind  speed calculation    show,    that    airship    flight cruising speed should be about 160…170 km/h.   The   cruising   speed   exceeding above    this    value    leads    to    airship economical  and  operational  advantages decrease.  The  literature  of  the  subject  gives  possible  value  of  airship  flight  cruising  speed  about 300…350  km/h.  But  under  the  real  value  of  the  airship  drag  coefficient  such  speed  is  not reasonable.  

Power-to-weight ratio chosen under mentioned condition meets more other requirements. It is possible to arrange airship  stream control system for speeds of flight under less than inversion one. De-icing  system  can  protect  all  the  airship  surface.  Quick-acting  ballast  system  to  control  the aerostatic lift and energy source for loading-unloading devices are available to be arranged. There is one of the most important advantages of airship    in    comparison    with    other    aircrafts    and helicopters, such as possibility to direct all the power only to supply one system.   And finally, effectiveness index of any aircraft is its  power-to-weight  ratio.  The  airplane  ratio  is  about 0.25  [h.p./kg],  but  for  airship  -  only  0.016  [h.p./kg], i.e., approximately 15 times less. As a result this ratio makes for considerably lower power plant weight and substantively less fuel consumption accordingly.   Fuel    consumption    being    rather    low,    flight duration  and  range  may  be  unlimited  in  practice.  So there  are  all  preconditions  to  promote  the  efficient development of air transport the leap in a fuel saving being of a high quality. Aerostatics carrying system. Aerostatics   carrying   system   means   a   part   of airship design, intended for creation and controlling of the   aerostatic   lift.   The   system   supports   value   of aerostatic lift force as constant or changes it according to current flight conditions. It seems that the use of airship envelope for aerostatic lift creation as it was realized in blimps design  (USA)  is  more  effective,  but  fulfillment  all  requirements  to  this  system  for  such  type  of airships  is  not  so  rational,  than  partition  of  gasholder  into  some  sections,  separated  by  film membranes Old-time procedure of altitude-meteorological control restricted the altitude tolerance of airship.  New  special  aerostatics  carrying  system  (this  is  “know-how”  implemented  into  airship design) provides large operating flight altitude with maximum flying weight. As result –expansion of its feasibilities and economical effectiveness.   Old method of flight regulation of aerostatic lift (by discharging of lifting gas and ballast) is completed  with  power  controlling,  for  example,  special  air-ballast  system.  This  new  systems  are connected  with  one  another  and  it  can  be  executed  easily  under  built-in  gas  holder.  In  this  case reliability and safety of gas leakage become higher. Maintenance advantages are improved as well, such  as:  inflating  and  pumping  out  of  helium,  checking  of  the  gas  composition  in  sections, preventive inspections. Aerostatic and aerodynamic control systems. An airship is simultaneously aerostatic and aerodynamic vehicle (aerodynamic efficiency of the  airship  D-1  is  near  3).  That  is  why  aerostatic  and  aerodynamic  control  are  investigated  and projected in close connection with one another as directional and longitudinal stability. Aerodynamic  control  uses  at  speed  above  30  km/h  (for  D-1  it  is  inversion  one).  As  long  as aerostatic balance is achieved by ballast system, the operation is completed. Stream control system, so called “active empennage” is used under the inversion speed. Thus, new control systems remove main disadvantage of the former control systems, such as bad low speed controllability.  

Mooring and parking. Constructions  for  mooring  and  parking  should  provide  effective  operation  of  new  generation airships.   Former ineffective methods, such as: mooring with assistance of crowded land teams (existing till now), attendance at parking to re-moor the vehicle when wind is changed, to move into hangar for maintenance, henceforward will not be used. The method of fast mooring with shock absorbers and arresting gear is developed. After the mooring  completion  the  airship  is  fixed  to  special  rotating  upper  landing  pad  of  the  tower-jack automatically. Such mooring and fixing  becomes  available  due  to good   low   speed   controllability. Furthermore  rigid  shell  provides parking  in  the  open  air  as  main method of airship rest. Nevertheless  vertical  landing  to unprepared   area   is   possible   as well.    In    the    case    airship    is picketed  to  the  special  anchors screwed into the ground by ropes.   The  parking  for  group  of airships  needs  not  so  big  wind- proof area and must be equipped with the tower-jack for reception and   launch.   For   example   such parking  for  12  airships  D-1  is shown in.The parking is a 270 m diameter area and enclosed by 15 m  wall.  The  parking  is  equipped with    the    tower-jack    as    well.  

Maintenance  and  repairs  (for  exception  of  overhaul  one)  is  fulfilled  here.  The  general  overhaul repairs  will  be  executed  into  assembly  hangar  of  the  airship  yard.  The  new  airship  is  pulled  out hangar to the round square in the parking middle. The tower-jack upper pad can be lifted from the ground level or let down back. We  suppose  that  rebirth  of  aerostation  is  possible  only  in  context  of  shortly  described  here conception SAOAT and can win the right to exist and to be helpful for civilization.