PASSENGER AIRSHIPS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 621, 25 September 1909, Page 18

PASSENGER AIRSHIPS.

;.;';;;■ .'AN ESTIMATE: OiP/CpSr.':.. •~- With;' reference to' the 'establishment' of 'a passenger-service by airships between different points "in Germany, Dr; Ecken'er, 'a German engineer, in' an interesting work'' 'published lately, deals ; with the/budget ' for; such /an undertaking.,: . '.-;/•,; ~' •,; •/ - ; ;'. A .dirigible of- about 20,000 - cubic"'yards .like the Zeppelin will have-to bo halfreflated once a-.week,, and this 1 process would require, 40,000 cubic yards of gas a month. At about 2d. per cubic yard .the cost of 1 the lifting , force will bo £335" a month, or £2310. per year, reckoning the actual service ;as extending- over six months. The airship has,two 150-h.p. motors, the .-working; of which costs in petrol and oil £1 hour.-,-On-!tho-;assumption' that ,tho>day'si, , w.ork consists of ,12; hours,- and'tho airship works 20. days a month, - the motive power for the six months will cost £2160., The staff., will consist of a captain : at a salary, of .€4OO, two-steorsmen : repeiving .£250 each, and four engineers, at- £150. The total expenditure on tho staff on board will--therefore.bo £1500. The dirigible will havo to pay at.each, aerial station a duty of about -£10; for each stoppage, and this item would; amount, to s £1200 for 120 annual voyages. ; ~ /Then as-to tho sinking fund.. It is ostimated that an airship of the Zeppelin type is capable of "lasting from four to iivo years,-but it,'is necessary-,to. take into consideration damage, cost "of ..repairs; insurance,; and even total loss. It would thus be prudent to extend the paying oil over only two years. The prico of a 'dirigiblo of 20,000 cubic yards of the Zeppelin type is £30,000,-' accordingly,.the cost of. the airship must,bo. reckoned <at £15,000 per year. To this must, bo added £1000 for the; cost of management and about £1500 for unforeseen cxpoh'scs. Summarising.,the different items, wo have-: Hydrogen-gas, £2310;. petrol and oil, '£2100; staff on board, £1500; station duties, £1200;-sinking fund, £15,000; management, £1000; unforeseen .'expenses,. £1500. Total. £24,070; •-' Dr. Eckencr has based his calculations on an average, of 120 voyages a year, each voyage being of 12 hbnrs. The "total cost price of, such .a." voyage is .therefore about £200; A' dirigiblo of 20,000 cubic yards can carry 25 ' to 30 passengers; but if it takes,. on an. average/ 20 passengers, the. cost per passenger will Jbo £10.i : If.the aerial company charges.£ls for a voyage of 12 hours, ,it will thus allow itself n good .margin for. proiit. . ...... )•