Re: Small steps...
At last! A sensible discussion starts to take place.
(1) Yes, hybrid airships are already in use. A deltoid wing filled with, say, hydrogen that can generate contributory lift under forward propulsion, though air resistance becomes an issue. It's not going to be a direct competitor for the speedier traditional aircraft, but it would be faster than a ferry crossing - maybe the same speed as a rail crossing to Europe, but with a greater range of destinations. What about the use of aerogels filled with He/H? Create a rigid structure that's buoyant using that. Aircraft designers are already designing very lightweight fuselages through the use of carbon fibre composites, so technology advances.
(2) The hybrid engine sounds like a possibility, though they do mention that they wish to reduce the drag of an underslung engine. Possibly the old tri-star configuration could work - a tail mounted single jet engine with electrical engines in the wing root. Ground assisted take-off is another possibility, though that could require considerable alteration to runways which would be expensive.
(3) Yes, it is a battery, but what about some biomimetic technology to generate "artificial petrol"? That could be along in a few decades - using just as a guess say, sunlight directly to knock electrons off molecules, triggering the formation of less stable complex compounds. Developments in other areas of battery technology may produce a "liquid battery", unsuited as a replacement for the pastes, gels and powders of current batteries, but usable in cars, trains, even planes.
Be interesting to see what technologies develop from this.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
