Next Generation Rigid Airship Design from Eric Raymond

This is a guest post by William Anderson who did the interview.

Eric Raymond is the head of Solar Flight, the world leader in manned solar powered aircraft.

Solar Flight's Sunship Project will be the first zeppelin-class rigid airship since 1939, the next chapter in his scalable approach which has been used successfully on Solar Flight's fixed-winged Sunseeker Aircraft.

In this interview, Eric reveals how the Sunship can be kept small using modern materials such as Vectran cables. Another intriguing aspect is the use of a rocket-fired land-anchor for use in emergency moorings. And finally, he advises any newcomers with convincing ideas to start work on their ideas rather than leave projects on paper, and to assemble a high-powered advice-network of doers and creators in the field in which the big idea is relevant.

This interview was recorded on October 14, 2009.



Thanks to Kenneth Deacon, Airship Heritage Trust, and Solar Flight for use of images in the film.

Thanks to George Raymond for setting up this contact.

Thanks to Airshipworld for publishing this interview.

Thanks most of all to Eric Raymond for the fascinating story and details.

Editors Remark: Thanks again to William for putting this great interview together. If you would like to contribute to Airshipworld please send your stuff to news@airshipworld.info