How many Blimps are there in the world? You may ask that when looking at a Blimp passing overhead. These large air bodies are fascinating and often have an advert on them. Some Blimps are also used for tourism, TV coverage, and research.
Although many Blimps have been developed since the 1900s, only about 25 exist today. The primary reason they are so few is that they are expensive to build and maintain. It can cost about $ 100,000 to fly a Blimp, and only about 128 pilots are qualified to fly them. Therefore we can expect Blimps to fade out as the years go by.
You may have just heard of Blimps and would like more information on them. Here are some interesting facts.
What is a Blimp?
A blimp is an airship that relies on heated gas, such as helium, to float in the sky. It is usually used for surveillance and advertising. These non-rigid ships rely on the internal pressure from helium gas to maintain their shape.
Blimps are easy to build and transport. However, they are the most unstable airships because they have unstable hulls. You’ve probably seen a blimp kink in the middle of the sky and wondered why? That’s an example of an issue caused by a blimp having a hull that’s too long.
However, Blimps can move smoothly in the sky when steered correctly and even carry passengers. That happens due to the thrust provided by steerable propellers on the airships.
While Blimps are interesting air crafts, they are now fading out due to the advances in aeronautics. People now prefer helicopters, airplanes, and drones, which are more reliable and cost-effective than Blimps.
The History of Blimps
The term Blimp has been in existence for a long time. It has always been used to refer to non-rigid ships.
According to history, the airship got its nickname from commander Cunningham stationed at Capel-Le-Ferne Airship Station in 1915. He gave it that name after an envelope he flicked made a sound he called “Blimp”. That word has been used to refer to non-rigid airships since that day.
The Blimp is said to have first been produced during the First World War. At that time, the British were trying to develop an aircraft lighter than air. The first one they produced was called an A-Limp.
After the invention of the A -Limp, another better airship called a B -Limp was produced. It’s the reason these airships are called Blimps today.
How Many Blimps Are There?
The first Blimp was created in the 1800s as a mode of passenger transportation. In 1917 Goodyear and Goodrich made a total of 14 Blimps. Numerous Blimps have been produced since then. Some well-known Blimps are The Goodyear Blimp, MetLife Blimp, and DirecTV Blimp, among others.
However, because of a change in technology, there are only 25 Blimps in existence these days. Only half of them are used for advertising. They seem to have been overtaken by modern air crafts that are easier to maintain and operate.
Now, stealth aircrafts are used for surveillance, drones are used to capture TV footage, and helicopters are used for advertising. Airplanes and helicopters have also become a convenient means of transport for many people.
Conclusion
Now you know the answer to ” How many Blimps are there?” Blimps are on their way out and will probably not be here in ten years. Therefore, the next time you see a Blimp, appreciate the sight as a rare occurrence.
However, trials are underway to use Blimps as a platform in wireless networks. Therefore, there is a slim possibility that more of these air crafts will be produced in the future. But for now, we can only appreciate the few remaining ones and see what the future brings.
