This is an issue posed for people anywhere to think about and answer because, where I reside, the government’s tax authority used a ploy to say that (in effect) pursuit of solutions for airships and other buoyant aircraft (BA) development is a hobby. The result of this ploy was that a considerable sum of money (for an individual) was demanded that they previously allowed for expenses when pursuing the business, which no longer gets tax relief. That business thus can’t recover value added tax on purchases. Naturally, this appears to be an abuse of power by them that is unfair, but fighting such people is rather difficult.
I guess the question could have been put in a different way (e.g. are airships wanted?), as this affects the whole BA industry generally and the pursuit of new offerings; where, at the moment, there are very few in service. The reason appears to be twofold:
1) Other businesses pitched in with huge transport category airship projects (gobbling money) when none existed and then failed to deliver, upsetting everyone.
2) At the low normal/commuter end of the industry, existing types were having a hard time against other new ways of doing things (drones, the internet, social media, to name a few) so closing their operations.
The tax issue was time to get return on investment (ROI) that could be taxed, where they made the decision that it was too long. If that’s the case then all businesses with complex projects that have many technical, as well as financial and political issues to solve before they’re allowed to get ROI from commercial sales by other authorities of the same nation, should be treated the same way!
New ways are definitely needed, otherwise there’s no point pursuing airships when not supported by national authorities who play unfairly. Incidentally, gravity is what enables buoyancy to float in the first place and, without it, nothing would exist. Be careful what you wish for!
Charles Luffman
Luffships’ Founder and Technical Leader
