What is Inside An Airship (part 1)?

An airship looks like a simple air balloon. Most people believe that it functions the same way an air balloon works. However, the working of an airship is somewhat complex and it uses many things like an envelope, nose cone battens, aft ballonet, forward ballonet, catenary curtain, engines, suspension cables, flight control surfaces, elevators, air valves, air scoops, helium valve, and a gondola. Some of these technical terms and functions are explained in this article.

Envelope

An envelope, located in the airship, is a large bag containing helium gas. The helium gas is used for lifting an airship in the air. The envelope takes the shape of a cigar and is very durable and long-lasting as it is composed of polyester composites (which is just like fabric). “ILC Dover Corporation” is involved in the making of polyester composites, which is then used in the making of the envelope. The capacity of envelope varies from blimp to blimp. Normally envelopes can hold from 67,000 ft to 250,000 ft of helium inside it. Moreover, the pressure of the helium inside a blimp is kept at a low level (approximately 0.07 pounds per square inch) in order to utilize it efficiently.

Nose Cone Battens

Nose Cone Battens provides the support to an airship or blimp. The basic purpose of Nose Cone Battens is to protect an airship from damage. In addition, it makes an airship look like an airplane. It also contains mooring hooks that are located at the nose of the airships.

Ballonets

Ballonets are located inside the envelope of an airship, which contain air-filled bags in it. An airship usually consist of two Ballonets, one fore and one aft. The ballast tanks of a submarine greatly resembles the ballonets. The basic purpose of these airbags is to inflate or deflate a blimp. As the helium is a lighter gas that is used for lifting purpose, these airbags are used to land these airships.

Catenary Curtain and Suspension Cables

Two catenary curtains are used in the airships that are made up of fabrics. On the other hand, suspension cables are used to attach the catenary curtains to the gondola.

Flight Control Surfaces

Flight Control Surfaces play a vital role in changing the direction of an airship, which are attached at its tail. Moreover, these parts of airships are moveable in nature. Flight Control Surfaces is further divided into two components that are rudders and elevators. A rudder is used to steer the airship vertically. Whereas, on the other hand, elevators are used to change the direction of an airship in the pitch axis. The pilots of the an airship are supposed to control these Flight Control Surfaces, which can be arranged in two different configurations (“+” & "x")