AIRSHIPS TO THE ARCTIC IV Making it Happen PROCEEDINGS Held in Winnipeg, MB October 29th-31st, 2007 Edited By: Dr. Barry E. Prentice Gary Wylie Dedicated in Honour of Hubert T. Kleysen, Entrepreneur The theme of the fourth Airships to the Arctic is “Making it Happen”. Thus, it is appropriate that this conference is dedicated to the entrepreneur. History is made by those who have the courage of their convictions to try something new and different. When they are successful, entrepreneurs improve all of society because they grow the economy and the choices of consumers. As the former Chairman and Owner of Kleysen Transport Ltd., Hubert T. Kleysen has been an outstanding entrepreneur and an innovator. During his long career he has been successful in trucking, railroad building, road building and operating an airline. He holds patents on the forklift of the 5th wheel, a tipping dumping system for unloading potash and sugar beets, and co-engineered an automated spiker for railroad track laying, - inventions recognized and honoured by transport Canada. Hubert T. Kleysen assumed control of the company in 1960, on the untimely death of the company‟s founder, Harry Kleysen. Hubert T. Kleysen expanded the company with innovative strategies for the carriage of bulk products. Kleysen Transport became a leader in the movement of sugar beets, cement, potash and nickel. He was also a pioneer with Canada Post in the shift of the national mail to truck movements. In the 1990s, Kleysen Transport built large distribution centers in Calgary and Edmonton to provide warehousing, overhead cranes, bulk hauling, oil field pipe and steel storage. Hubert Kleysaen also led a private sector attempt to establish WinnPort, an inland air- truck distribution centre. In 2006, Kleysen Transport was sold to Mullen Trust keeping all 1200 employees in their current positions. Hubert Kleysen is recognized for his contribution to Manitoba as a preeminent entrepreneur in the transportation field. The work he has done in building a successful enterprise, his vision of an inland port for Winnipeg and his many selfless charitable endeavours have earned national respect. The advance of modern airships has been held back by a lack of business confidence that the market is ready for the technology. Without entrepreneurs to “make it happen” a terrible thing occurs: nothing. This conference is dedicated to entrepreneurs like Hubert Kleysen that make a difference by their personal energy, enthusiasm and creativity. 3 Table of Contents Welcome ................................................................................................................................................................. 6 Lighter-than-air (LTA) Technology: A View from Europe .................................................................... 8 A Bird‟s Eye View of Riverbank Erosion ................................................................................................ 20 Airships to the Arctic IV Day One: .................................................................................................................... 30 Welcome ....................................................................................................................................................... 30 Session One: ................................................................................................................................................. 35 Logistical Challenges in Resource Extraction ................................................................................................ 35 Forest Product Transport in Manitoba ..................................................................................................... 35 Mining Beyond the Roads ......................................................................................................................... 51 Session Two: ................................................................................................................................................. 60 Logistical Challenges in Resource Exploration .............................................................................................. 60 Arctic Gas Exploration ........................................................................................................................... 60 Lunch Speaker .............................................................................................................................................. 72 Making It Happen: Procurement-based Initiatives ........................................................................................ 72 Session Three: .............................................................................................................................................. 80 Logistical Challenges in Serving Remote Communities ................................................................................... 80 Air-Lift to Remote Communities.............................................................................................................. 80 Session Four: ................................................................................................................................................ 94 Logistical Challenges in Project Freight ......................................................................................................... 94 Building Construction in the Near North ................................................................................................. 94 Observations on the Airships to the Arctic ............................................................................................. 100 Airships to the Arctic IV Banquet .................................................................................................................... 102 Dedicated to the Entrepreneur ............................................................................................................... 102 4 Airships to the Arctic IV: Day Two ................................................................................................................. 113 Welcome .................................................................................................................................................... 113 Session One: .............................................................................................................................................. 117 Pushing the Envelope ................................................................................................................................. 117 Development of a New Sightseeing Airships ........................................................................................... 119 Development Geo-Physical Survey Applications ..................................................................................... 125 Session Two: .............................................................................................................................................. 145 Keynote Presentation .................................................................................................................................. 145 Delivering Value with Buoyant Aircraft ................................................................................................ 145 Lunch Speaker.......................................................................................................................................... 163 Optimization of Airship Routes for Weather ......................................................................................... 163 Session Three: ........................................................................................................................................... 176 Airship Developers Panel .......................................................................................................................... 176 Making Cargo Airships Happen .......................................................................................................... 176 Questions to the Developers Panel .......................................................................................................... 185 Session Four: ............................................................................................................................................. 193 Where’s the Gas? ...................................................................................................................................... 193 Helium, its Recovery, Purification, Transport and Deployment as an Airship Lifting Gas ..................... 193 Hydrogen Gas: Past and Future in Airships ........................................................................................ 212 Closing remarks ............................................................................................................................................. 225 Speaker Biographies ...................................................................................................................................... 226 5 Airships to the Arctic IV Welcome Russ Wyatt Councillor, City of Winnipeg It is an honour to bring greetings on behalf of his Worship, Mayor Sam Katz and all members of Winnipeg City Council to welcome the delegates who are attending the 4th International Symposium “Airships to the Arctic.” I want to congratulate Dr. Barry Prentice. Dr. Prentice has been a leader in our community with regards to the study of transportation and new forms of transportation including airships. It was an