[I_Am_Nous]

My son loves airships (thanks Mario and Bowser lol) but I think the main issue is that even with the most buoyant gas we can use, hydrogen, physics doesn't really allow for much lifting capacity once you add the lower compartment where passengers or cargo would be. Even the Hindenberg had a lightweight grand piano made, but eventually had it removed to save weight.

The numbers look even worse with helium, and it's a lot easier to make hydrogen than to capture enough helium. I'd love to see some kind of hybrid airship/aerofoil system that could lift more with powered assistance, but I don't know if that would be more or less efficient than huge cargo jets.

[simonebrunozzi]

It seems that H2 is much more flammable compared to He.

I remember reading that someone was trying to use Aerogel as a substitute. Or a special version of it.

[I_Am_Nous]

Aerogel with CO2 is pretty common, I wonder if helium aerogel will be viable, or if the helium would slowly escape like it does in a balloon? I don't think we could use hydrogen for it as supercritical hydrogen sounds very dangerous.