OUR HISTORY 1999-2003
The Company Ohio Airships Inc was created in 1999 by Brian Martin the visionary, inventor and Robert Rist an inventor, teamed to developing a revolution in transportation. Robert had an idea of a way to distribute cargo loading, landing gear forces, and wing loading for an airship (see patent) . Brian the visionary understood there has not been a new development in freight transport since the container ship container. He also thought how wonderful the idea would be to take on Boeing and Lockheed Martin as they would not see this coming. He would say they are stuck in a stock holder hell. They can not develop anything new. They started a small program at Akron to make a small prototype but the garage was too small.
Brian Martin and Robert (Bob) Rist First Prototype
Web search brought us the Megalifter, Howard Hugh’s idea that would transport the US Space Shuttle. NASA went with the Boeing 747 and the idea was dropped when Howard died.
We understood that two guys working in the computer department of Mount Union University, would not have the influence to build a revolutionary transport system. We would compare the thought to the cure for cancer. What if you had a cure for cancer? Who would believe you... who would take you seriously.
The internet and e-mail were new. We fired off e-mails into the Pentagon randomly. We remember sending an e-mail to General Keane of the US ARMY, just by figuring out his e-mail. He responded! and invited us to the Pentagon.... holy cow!!! Things got serious. We met with one star Generals of the Army, war fighters ( just 2 weeks prior to 9-11 in the E-ring) and they really liked the idea. They had all kinds of ideas. They could use them to carry huge antenna to sense stealth aircraft while escorting the navy fleets, carry the Army large equipment and helicopters into theater quicker, quantum leap in forest fire fighting. They imagined that Dynalifters could carry the weight for the power supply of an aerial solid-state laser system to shoot down intercontinental missiles in 2nd stage, refuel Navy and Army helicopters at slower safer speeds, launch and retrieve unmanned vehicles, Pacific Ocean island resupply, fast Intra-continental delivery of LNG, and much more.
We soon found out if you’re not Grumman, Lockheed, or Boeing good luck, they have great influence in decision making in the Pentagon. The Military was not an option. We needed credibility first.
How do you get credibility? You get a proposal for an engineer study. Proposals are free. So, we asked and got one from the world renown aerospace conceptional design engineer and author, Dan Raymer. Anyone who has been through aerospace design in college, has used his book. He had a website and e-mail too in 1998. We called him and he accommodated us very professionally and politely. I’m sure he rolled his eyes when he first heard our story, but soon found it an interesting challenge to add helium (a renewable lift) to his aircraft design computer programs. He used to call helium an anti-gravity device. He needed to know the mission of the aircraft. We told him simply it had to fly across the ocean, and carry a huge cargo bay, land on short runways, and find the most economical design.
Our Friend George Weimer of Mount Union University Fame in Alliance, Ohio gave us the first money to give to Dan. George’s brother flew Goodyear airships in the military. He wanted to see what Dan would find out. Dan did not disappoint. The Dynalifter DL1000 and the DL 500 was born. The idea which would have a 90,000 cu ft of cargo volume, carry 160 plus tons of cargo, have light wing loading and could takeoff from unprepared runways in 4000 ft or less, and yes rugged enough to fly over oceans with 2300 nmile range. Dan presented this idea in a press conference in front of the Akron Air dock. This was the revolutionary aircraft we thought was possible, but now Dynalifter a revolution in shipping is very credible, and for the first time starting a revolution in shipping now doable.
More to come…..