The Aeroscraft

          The Aeroscraft looks like a blimp, but it is definitely much more than that. This particular aircraft is a hybrid between a blimp and an airplane. The Aeroscraft depends on the 14 million cubic feet of helium that it holds to negate about 60 percent of the aircraft’s total weight. But that still obviously does not provide the ship with enough lift, however, the ships canards (forward fins) and empennages (rear fins) provide all of the remaining lift needed. The Aeroscraft is 165 feet high, 244 feet wide, 647 feet long and can carry up to 400 tons over a range of 6,000 miles. The craft will have a top speed of 174 miles per hour, which will allow it to cross the U.S. in about 18 hours. This aircraft will have six turbo fans, which will assist it in takeoff, enabling the craft to have a totally vertical takeoff. The Aeroscraft is built to be environmental friendly, so of course, the turbo fans will run only off of electricity that will be fueled by hydrogen cells. The final feature, but possibly one of the most interesting features, is the craft’s Air Cushion Take-off/Landing System (ACTLS), which is basically a vacuum that is used to be an anchor of landing and taking off.

Aeroscraft Statistics

• Dimensions (feet): 165 high x 244 wide x 647 long (in meters, 50 x 74 x 197)
• Range: 6,000 miles(9,656 km)
• Cruising Speed: 174 mph(78 m/s)
• Altitude Range: 0 to 8,000 ft (0 to 2438 m)
• Payload: Up to 250 passengers or 400 tons (362,874 kg) of cargo 

 "How the Aeroscraft Will Work." HowStuffWorks. Web. 25 Mar. 2012.         <http://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/future/aeroscraft.htm>.