Chapter 162: Airship Testing
March 10, 1903 – New South Wales Industrial Zone.
After more than five months of work, Theodor Kober and Ludwig Dürr had successfully completed a replica of Count Zeppelin's LZ-1 rigid airship, while also improving upon some of its more obvious flaws.
Both Theodor Kober and Ludwig Dürr had been key assistants to Count Zeppelin during the construction of the original airship, which allowed them to faithfully reproduce nearly all of the LZ-1's strengths.
Thanks to Australia's deep financial resources, the two engineers also managed to improve aspects of the design that Count Zeppelin himself had been aware of but couldn't afford to fix due to funding limitations. The result was the AU-1 airship.
As soon as the airship was completed, Arthur personally arrived at the aviation laboratory outside Sydney to observe this pioneering vessel in rigid airship history. At the same time, his visit served as a public signal that Australia's aviation lab was officially focused on airship development.
Since the AU-1 was a full replica of the LZ-1, its appearance and performance didn't differ much from the original.
The AU-1 measured 128 meters in length and had a diameter of 11.7 meters. Its hydrogen gas capacity reached about 11,300 cubic meters.
More astonishingly, it could carry nearly ten tons of cargo—something unmatched by any means of transportation except multi-car trains and cargo ships.
Yet trains and cargo ships came with significant limitations. Trains had to run on tracks and required stations and infrastructure, which demanded enormous investments of time and money.
Ships could only travel between ports and, due to limited propulsion power, were also the slowest and least convenient option.
If the AU-1 could be improved and commercialized, it would become a powerful tool for air transport.
At least in the short term, it could help drive Australia's development and redirect the world's attention toward airships rather than aircraft.
To Arthur, the development of airships was important, but not nearly as strategically vital as airplanes.
The greater value of airships was as an alternative means of cargo transport and a faster, more convenient mode of transportation before airplanes were born.
If all went as expected, airships were destined to be replaced by airplanes. That's why Arthur had specifically instructed Kober and Dürr to focus their efforts on aircraft development.
Because testing an airship required vast open space, Kober and Dürr selected an empty field next to the aviation lab to conduct the trial.
Unlike airplanes, airships didn't need long, flat runways for takeoff. The main reason for such open space was purely safety—to prevent disaster in case of malfunction.
Arthur initially intended to ride the airship himself and experience the technology of the era firsthand, but under strong persuasion from both Kober and Dürr, he gave up on the idea.
They were right. Even though Count Zeppelin's earlier tests had been largely successful, no one could guarantee that the third trial wouldn't fail.
And let's be honest—taking to the skies was still a hazardous venture for humans in this era. One mistake could mean certain death.
Neither Arthur's guards nor the engineers dared to let him board the airship. If something went wrong, no one could bear the responsibility.
Arthur quickly dismissed the thought and even broke into a cold sweat at the risk.
Even perfected future airships and planes weren't immune to accidents—let alone those still in development.
If Arthur boarded and something went wrong, he would've gone down as the unluckiest time traveler in history.
So the entire test became a distant observation, with Arthur watching through binoculars while Kober and Dürr piloted the airship themselves.
The test route was set for the Sydney coast, approximately forty kilometers away.
The AU-1 was to carry over one ton of cargo to its destination, then return with steel, timber, and other materials needed by the aviation lab.
The test involved transporting at least one ton of goods each way, dramatically increasing the risk. Any accident could mean the complete loss of both cargo and crew.
This test was slightly shorter than Count Zeppelin's third LZ-1 trial, but not by much.
After final preparations, Professors Kober and Dürr took a deep breath and boarded the moored airship.
Several aviation lab assistants accompanied them to help operate the AU-1 more effectively.
Once Arthur gave the green light, the AU-1 slowly lifted off. After stabilizing in the sky, it turned and headed toward the coast.
Though the AU-1 was still an early-generation rigid airship, its cruising speed reached over 30 kilometers per hour—similar to the original LZ-1.
As a refined version three years later, AU-1 could maintain a speed of 35 kilometers per hour.
While that seemed turtle-like by modern airplane standards, in the early 20th century, when trains only traveled at 50–60 kilometers per hour, this was considered fast.
Given the distance of over forty kilometers and the time needed to load and unload cargo, the round trip would take at least five to six hours.
The airship left the aviation lab around noon and returned in the late afternoon.
Compared to steady flight, takeoff and landing were the most dangerous phases.
Especially landing—any mistake could lead to disaster. Even rigid airships, which were significantly safer, weren't immune.
Kober and Dürr were extremely cautious. The entire landing process took about thirty minutes.
When the sound of the airship gently touching the ground was finally heard, both engineers let out a long sigh of relief.
"Your Highness, the AU-1 rigid airship's first long-distance test flight was a complete success! We carried one ton on the outbound trip and 1.5 tons on the return. Total travel distance was around 80 kilometers, and the total flight time was six hours and seven minutes," Kober and Dürr reported excitedly as they stepped off the airship.
"The actual flight time was just over two hours. The airship maintained a consistent cruising speed of about 35 kilometers per hour, and the flight was very stable—no major turbulence occurred," Kober added with a smile.
"Run a full inspection—check the airship's exterior and interior for any damage—and record all test data," Arthur instructed.
Judging from the results, the AU-1's test had been a clear success. While they had the advantage of building on Count Zeppelin's earlier accomplishments, the efforts of Kober and Dürr had also been crucial.
"Once the work is done, clean yourselves up. Tonight I'll host a small celebration in your honor. Also, inform the entire aviation institute that I'm very pleased with the results. Everyone will receive a reward of 500 pounds. Especially you, Professor Theodor Kober and Professor Ludwig Dürr—you'll each be awarded 2,000 pounds from the Royal Treasury for your outstanding work in replicating the airship," Arthur said with a smile.
(End of Chapter)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Kira1997