Hydrogen is Arguably Safer than any Other Airship Lifting Gas

A major argument in favor of hydrogen's use in airships, despite its apparent hazards with particular with emphasis on flammability, was featured in a discussion of the advantages of hydrogen by a noted German engineer was originally presented in the 2007 program "Airships to the Arctic". This major regularly-held Conference began advocating the regular use of airships as cargo carriers to supply residents and workers in the Arctic with food and necessary supplies. It was sponsored at that time by Dr. Barry Prentice, a faculty member at the University of Manitoba, Canada; it is currently sponsored by ISO Polar, a non-profit organization that Dr. Prentice and his colleagues organized, whose focus is a powerful extension of the missions and goals of previous Airships to the Arctic conferences.

Clearly the strongest objections raised against the use of hydrogen, rather than helium, are motivated by perceptions of hydrogen as a highly flammable --- indeed, practically explosive --- gas. The specter of the Hindenburg disaster of 1937 hovers over every discussion of its use, despite its many advantages . 

He provided a meticulous analysis of the errors, false assumptions, and conclusions in the minds of most people, engineers in particular, that fed the dreadful visions of Deadly Hydrogen. This meme of the Hindenburg --- packed with passengers --- bursting into flame upon its approach to a landing at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey in 1937, powerfully reinforced by a memorable film clip recorded by newsreel cameras, of the giant Zeppelin airship being completely consumed by flames, became viral and has been shown countless times to horrified audiences since that time, and has provided fuel for the perception of the dangers of Hydrogen. 

Essentially, in so many words, the conclusions of this coolly analytical German aeronautical engineer were :

1. Hydrogen was not the cause of the Hindenburg disaster 

2. Hydrogen is much safer than other fuels.   

3. Would replacing hydrogen with helium have saved the    Hindenburg ? He is convinced the answer is "NO !" [his exclamation point]

4. During the period of the World Wars, there were more hydrogen-filled airships built than helium.

5. Most telling, during this time period, more helium airships were lost to fire than hydrogen airships ! 

5. Hydrogen is no more dangerous to use and store than either gasoline or other commonly used flammable substances, such as propane.

6. Hydrogen is not explosive; gasoline is .

Later, we will present the many advantages of hydrogen, including its superior lifting power; its availability; its lower price, its use in commerce --- including regular safe transport over public roads; and its almost unlimited supply.

Stay tuned !