The disadvantages of
this method appear to be rather serious. It seems that great
difficulty will always be found in picking up these moorings in a
high wind, and though this also applies to the method with the
mast, the initial obstacles do not appear to be so great. A
powerful engine driving a winch will be necessary to raise these
heavy wires from the ground, although of course the lift of the
airship will assist in this. Secondly, the lowering of
passengers and cargo will not be easy as the ship will not be
rigidly secured. This, however, can probably be managed when
experiments have reached a further stage, and at present the
system may be said to present distinct possibilities.
The third system, that of mooring to a mast, possesses several
features peculiar to itself, and not embraced by the other two,
which should secure it prolonged investigations. The system is
by no means new and has been tried from time to time for several
years, but since the question of mooring in the open has been so
ventilated and is now considered of such vital importance, these
experiments have been continued, and in less spasmodic fashion
than in the past. In a trial with a small non-rigid airship some
months ago a signal success was achieved.
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