Aeronave

Aeronave, or airship, is a type of flying vehicle that can achieve lift by using helium, a gas lighter than air. It consists of two major sections, a helium-filled balloon used to propel the airship upwards, and a ship-like hull which houses the captain and passengers, used to land in water. Although the hull uses relatively light materials and structures in its construction, the size of the balloon is greatly larger than the hull in order to compensate for its weight. In addition, the balloon has no internal frame to hold its shape, and relies exclusively on the internal pressure of the gases, in order to lighten the vessel. Patented and designed in La Rossa, the first aeronave has been deployed in 62 PC.

Design

The aeronave achieves lift with the use of a large, lighter-than-air balloon. Having no frame to hold its structure, the fabric of the balloon maintains its shape from the pressure of the helium inside it. Composed of a number of helium bags that line its interior, their structure includes internal balloons that can take up air from the outside, utilized to maintain pressure by volumetrically compressing the helium (separated by a barrier) and to control lift by increasing the balloon's density. Requiring relatively little power in order to rise and maintain altitude, the airship's engines are primarily used for navigation and steering while in the air, powering large flappable sails in order to direct the vessel, as well as ship-like propellers used to additionally correct direction and thrust against the wind.

The airships' machinery, crew and passengers are located in the hull, where most of the airship's weight is concentrated. Built from a light, but rigid structure, the hull's design optimizes efficiency between weight and usefulness, in order to allow for the airship to take lift. Current airship designs are expected to be capable of holding up to 128 passengers and their belongings, crew members included. Created to take off and land in water, the airship is made to use existing port infrastructure in order to travel between navally distant port cities through a much short air line. Due to its low speed, however, the aeronave is to see use only for travel across the island of La Rossa, which has seen issues with travel in the past owing to its harsh mountainous terrain. It is unlikely for the airship to be utilized for travel between distant islands until faster engines and lighter materials are developed. Due to the size of the balloon, the aeronave may take up more space than the currently existing port docks allow for, and smaller boats are expected to be used in order to bring passengers to the vessel for boarding in certain ports.

History

The aeronave began as a privately-led military project, funded by a Rossan government loan program signed by decree in 53 PC. With the project narrowly escaping death following the corruption scandal enveloping the Barozzo administration, and holding onto funding despite the revolts and violence in the following months, the project continued into the reign of Giulio Moretti with the aim of creating a hydrogen-propelled aircraft to be used for military purposes, in order to strengthen the country's military after a weak display of power in the House of Light's war against Niueyjar. Following an explosion of a hydrogen storage facility in 58 PC, which killed 14 people involved in the project, the leadership scrambled to shift towards helium, a comparatively heavier gas that limited the vessel's capabilities. A rare noble gas, the project would soon find a major bottleneck in its search for helium supplies, destroying hopes of large-scale military involvement. In 60 PC, following major delays and budgetary issues, the project was presented to Dux Giulio Moretti, having fully transitioned from a supposed military role into a soft recommendation for a limited commercial one. In order to not let the money go to waste, Moretti would publicly unveil the Aeronave project the same year. The first airships began taking passengers in 62 PC.

Despite similarities, it is unknown whether the design was influenced by that of Faltiran inventor Zep-Lin.