Hospitals can drop from the sky

Solar Ship’s Brantford, Ontario–built hybrid aircraft combine the nimbleness of a bush plane with the buoyancy of an airship. Physically, that makes them look sort of like a Stay Puft Marshmallow Man plane; practically, it means they can fly five tonnes of essential cargo into inaccessible areas in Canada and abroad. CEO Jay Godsall breaks down how one aircraft, the Wolverine, gets up.

1

WINGS / AILES

“EVEN IF FOSSIL FUELS DIDN’T POLLUTE, PUTTING HEAVY GASOLINE ON AN AIRCRAFT AND FLYING IT INTO A REMOTE LOCATION JUST TO BURN IT IN AN ENGINE IS A STUPID WASTE OF ENERGY. THIS AIRSHIP IS FULL OF BUOYANT GAS, EITHER HYDROGEN OR HELIUM, WHICH GIVES IT ITS LIFT.”

2

MOTORS / MOTEURS “ELECTRIC MOTORS ARE REALLY LIGHT AND GIVE YOU A LOT OF THRUST. THE WOLVERINE IS TALLER THAN A 747, AND WE’VE SPREAD 20 MOTORS ALONG THE BACK AND FOUR IN THE FRONT. THAT ALSO HELPS YOU STEER: GUN THE MOTORS ON ONE SIDE AND LEAVE THE OTHERS AT A LOWER SPEED IN ORDER TO TURN.”

3

LANDING GEAR

TRAIN D’ATTERRISSAGE

“CUT THE ENGINES ON A FAT, DRAGGY AIRCRAFT AND IT WILL COME DOWN FAST, SO IT DOESN’T NEED MUCH RUNWAY. BUT ITS WEIGHT MAKES SPAGHETTI OUT OF ANY BUSH-PLANE LANDING GEAR. WE USE INFLATABLE GEAR – IT’S A BIG AIR BAG THAT CAN TAKE A POUNDING. IT CAN ALSO LAND ON ANY SURFACE.”

4

SOLAR PANELS PANNEAUX SOLAIRES “THE AIRCRAFT IS LOADED UP WITH BATTERIES THAT FLOW TO THE MOTORS. TO EXTEND THE RANGE, UP TO 600 KM, WE ADD SOLAR PANELS, WHICH CHARGE THE BATTERIES.”

5

CARGO / FRET

“THIS CAN TRANSPORT A 20-FOOT SHIPPING CONTAINER, WHICH MEANS IT CAN BRING HOUSING SUPPLIES TO THE NORTH, OR HELP WITH DISASTER RELIEF WHEN CLIMATE CHANGE DISPLACES PEOPLE IN AFRICA. YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH DROP OFF A HOSPITAL FROM THE SKY.”