Thai Army's Airship Crashes, Hurts Four

[webfact]

ARMY

Airship crash hurts four

The Nation

PATTANI: -- The Royal Thai Army's airship crashed yesterday while providing surveillance for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's visit to Pattani, falling from an altitude of 15 metres.

Four crewmembers suffered minor injuries as they jumped from the aircraft before it hit the ground. The incident took place at around 3pm in a Pattani military camp as the airship was coming in for a landing.

As much as 50 per cent of the airship's body was damaged, a military spokesperson said. However, journalists and outsiders were prohibited from entering the crash site. The Fourth Army Region, which operates the airship, issued no comments.

Costing Bt350 million, the controversial airship was purchased around three years ago by the Army's then-chief Anupong Paochinda to provide surveillance in the South. Plagued with technical problems, the airship could not fly at a satisfactory altitude and was deemed too vulnerable for military operations.

Kept in a hangar in Pattani, it has flown only recently, making a surveillance flight last month during the Loy Krathong festival.

Around Bt25 million has been spent on upkeep and improvements to the airship, an A-40D Sky Dragon manufactured by the Worldwide Aeros Corporation. For a time, the airship was kept deflated, which caused leaks to develop. So Bt300,000 a month has been required to keep it filled with helium to prevent further leaks.

-- The Nation 2012-12-14

[apetley]

Sounds like a bargain priced addition to the armies equipment.

[Bwanatickey]

I was wondering if any of your readers could help me with a problem I am having with my car.The check oil lamp is continually lit.So I checked my oil and found there was none there. But to my horror the lamp is still on. How do I get the lamp to go out and how do I check the oil if there is none there?

I am a qualified Zeppilin pilot.

[kartman]

They need Goodyear to operate it not amateurs.

[dcutman]

Umm ummm Mrs Yingluck we broke our blimp . We love our blimp soooooo much, can you give us B100 million to fix it.

Ok now I will go change my shorts, I pissed my self, laughing.

Edited December 13, 2012 by dcutman

[bigbamboo]

This 'flying pig' makes Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose look like a solid investment!

[AleG]

Oh the humanity.... wait, isn't this thing unmanned? why were people on board when it crashed?

[Soutpeel]

Insurance scam...

[mackayae]

There is a small cockpit on the belly of the ship with seating for five.

[jcw]

I am surprised they crashed it for an insurance job as that is the only way it is good for them. I thought it would have been easier to "sell" it to someone of authority for fifty baht and they could sell it for several million and pocket it. They seem to be good at that.

[zydeco]

What year is it? 1917?

[Soupdragon]

The thing is helium and air look exactly the same so who would know if they used the cheaper alternative ???

The Army has spent Bt25 million to maintain the Bt350-million blimp, which mostly involves Bt300,000 a month to keep it filled with helium to keep it intact and prevent leaks.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Army-defends-blimp-repairs-30191291.html

[seadoo]

Another one!!!

A few years back some high ranking military person built a huge shed on Soi Siam Country Club Road in Pattaya where he stored a blimp that was going to be used for tourist trips.

It held about 6 persons and sat there for months awaiting air traffic approval and on its maiden flight it crashed and was destroyed.

[TJH]

I bet the pilot ran away from the scene!!

[arthurboy]

The Blimey, it's a Blinking, <deleted> Blimp Show! proudly presents...

The initial outlay of Bt350 million, plus the 300,000 Baht a month bill for helium, plus the cost of the last repair job, plus the cost of general ground maintainance, plus the daily running cost of the base where it is stationed, plus the cost to pay the 'soldiers/ airmen' stationed there to service and guard it, plus the cost of training the pilots and crew, plus the cost of the onboard surveillance equipment, plus the brown envelops....

Tune in next week, so you don't miss another exicitng installment of this pathetic charade.

The comedy continues...

[sjjmmi]

The Blimey, it's a Blinking, <deleted> Blimp Show! proudly presents...

The initial outlay of Bt350 million, plus the 300,000 Baht a month bill for helium, plus the cost of the last repair job, plus the cost of general ground maintainance, plus the daily running cost of the base where it is stationed, plus the cost to pay the 'soldiers/ airmen' stationed there to service and guard it, plus the cost of training the pilots and crew, plus the cost of the onboard surveillance equipment, plus the brown envelops....

Tune in next week, so you don't miss another exicitng installment of this pathetic charade.

The comedy continues...

[Honkie]

Sounds like a bargain priced addition to the armies equipment.

Sounds like a bargain priced addition to the armies equipment.

350 millions and 300,000 for the upkeep. Real bargain for a Balloon.....that leaks!!!

[tominbkk]

why don't they use drones?

[animatic]

Never ceases to amaze here.

Some times it seems it's ;

The blind leading the dead and complaining when they

don't move fast enough to the cliff edge.

Edited December 14, 2012 by animatic

[Soupdragon]

why don't they use drones?

A predator drone cost around 1.1 billion baht. Add to that the 1.2 million per hellfire missile that the army would no doubt insist on buying to strap to it and it starts to get expensive.

[animatic]

why don't they use drones?

A predator drone cost around 1.1 billion baht. Add to that the 1.2 million per hellfire missile that the army would no doubt insist on buying to strap to it and it starts to get expensive.

The kids at Pantip could build one for about $5,000 or 150,00 baht

with remote control, cameras and a down link and everything but bombs.

Get up to a million baht and you have a van with crew and full travel facility.

But that could fly multiple low cost spotter planes.

But it's not as sexy or big enough to skim off of.

[Fozfromoz]

why don't they use drones?

That would be admitting that this was a poor purchase= face falling off.

[Soupdragon]

why don't they use drones?

A predator drone cost around 1.1 billion baht. Add to that the 1.2 million per hellfire missile that the army would no doubt insist on buying to strap to it and it starts to get expensive.

The kids at Pantip could build one for about $5,000 or 150,00 baht

with remote control, cameras and a down link and everything but bombs.

Get up to a million baht and you have a van with crew and full travel facility.

But that could fly multiple low cost spotter planes.

But it's not as sexy or big enough to skim off of.

I can hear the shouts from the ground, "Pull", as they shoot them down with catapults.

[scorecard]

Insurance scam...

Would any insurance company actually give a policy on this thing, given the history of these airships, and given that's purpose is to operate in a well documented danger area, and given that by nature it's highly vulnerable? Doubt it,

[Katipo]

If I was Yingluck, or other important visitng dignitary, I wouldn't want that thing above me. First of all it seems prone to crashing, and secondly it's like having a giant arrow above saying "Yingluck is down here". Useful information for Southern insurgents or others with nefarious intentions..... oh wait, it's all becoming clear

[Pimay1]

This entire blimp fiasco reminds me of a script right out of a Marx brothers or three stooges movie. If any of these guys happen to see the lawn chair Larry video on youtube they will probably try that next.

[JetsetBkk]

The thing is helium and air look exactly the same so who would know if they used the cheaper alternative ???

They'd know as soon as they tried to go upwards.

[rubl]

For a time, the airship was kept deflated, which caused leaks to develop. So Bt300,000 a month has been required to keep it filled with helium to prevent further leaks.

Keeping it filled to prevent further leaks? Uhm, how about fixing the leaks?

May I suggest a simple step by step approach. Maybe start with

http://www.ehow.com/...cycle-tire.html

before graduating to "To repair leaks, follow the "Blimp & Balloon Repair Instructions" included with each product."

[transam]

What do they expect from a converted submarine. .....................................

[NBD]

Proper comedy operation.