The Rise Of Australasia - Chapter 368

Chapter 368: Chapter 315: Global Voyage

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April 10, 1912, Sydney.

After over a week of meticulous preparations and with permissions from the respective countries of every stop secured, Australasia’s airship circumnavigation officially began.

News of Australasia’s around-the-world trip on the airship quickly became a sensation, following the Balkan War, in Europe or even the whole world.

Regrettably, due to time constraints, European media was unable to reach Sydney before the airship’s departure.

But they had other methods; they could get firsthand accounts of the airship by setting up camp at the stops before the airship’s arrival.

Despite it being only eight in the morning, Sydney was already filled with crowds. This included major Australasian newspapers and media, curious local citizens, as well as Arthur and the Australasian Government.

In order to further promote the Government’s name, the official sponsors of this global voyage were the Australasian Government and the Royal Family, with all costs to be jointly borne by them.

“Oh my, can this giant thing really soar into the sky? And make a global flight?”

Among the watching crowd, someone looked at the airship, an enormous object in the not so far distance, and couldn’t help but question.

“Damn, are you doubting His Majesty would lie to us? Even if it is an iron lump if the king says it can fly, it can fly,” a person visibly a companion next to them replied crossly after hearing their friend’s question.

“Haven’t you seen this thing fly in the sky? It’s huge, its shadow is larger than a building,” a person who had seen the airship soaring in the sky before, couldn’t help but explain it to the curious crowd.

For the Australasians, such big news like a global voyage would naturally become the subject of everyone’s delight.

Moreover, since this hotspot was promoted by Arthur and the government, it naturally attracted more curious Australasians to watch and pay attention.

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Airships weren’t too alien concepts for the Australasian people. It has been several years since the birth of Australasia’s airships, and they are neither classified pieces of information.

What arouses surprise and doubt is, in fact, the size of this airship adorned with the Australasian flag and the royal emblem.

Compared to previous airships, this one is at least several times their size, making it look more impressive and grand.

“Your Majesty, ladies and gentlemen. This is the Aerospace Laboratory’s latest masterpiece, an airship that can bear a load of 40 tons and achieve a top speed of 110 kilometers per hour, AU-3!” On a makeshift platform at this empty space, Theodore, the head of the Aerospace Laboratory, was excitedly introducing the AU-3 to Arthur, all government officials, the media, and the audience below.

Theodore’s voice was broadcasted far and wide through a loudspeaker, enabling practically every nearby person to hear him.

“According to our conservative estimates, AU-3 can accommodate at least 105 people and store at least half a month’s worth of supplies. Even at a full load of 40 tons, AU-3 can maintain a speed of at least 70 kilometers per hour, significantly reducing the communications time between continents.”

Aside from the royal family, government, media, and common people attending the global voyage departure ceremony, there were also a number of small and medium-sized capitalists from Australasia.

Currently, Australasia does not have an established nobility system, the few nobles that do exist are those to whom Arthur has granted the non-inheritable title of knighthood.

“Director Theodore, how many people does it take to operate such a numoth?” An officer from the government asked with a hint of curiosity.

“Despite AU-3’s size being several times larger than previous airships, its operating system is more straightforward. Counting all operation personnel, to allow this airship to soar perfectly in the sky, two shifts with a total of 32 operators would suffice. If it’s a short flight, we don’t need to consider fatigue, and 16 operators would be enough,” confidently answered Director Theodore.

With the new airship facilitating ultra-long-distance flights, it needed to consider a fairly severe issue, that is, operator fatigue.

Though an airship could fly non-stop for several days or even half a month, operators could only work for about ten hours or so. They needed to be replaced to prevent accidents due to fatigue.

This also meant that when the airship makes a long journey, it must carry at least two groups of operators for shift changes.

Hearing this, people found it perfectly reasonable and nod. It was within reason and expectations that controlling such a large object would require 16 people and two shifts would require 32 operators.

However, with a maximum capacity of only 105 people, subtracting the 32 operators and 15 service staff, the maximum passenger capacity was limited to 58 people.

It’s worth mentioning that, at the request of European and American countries, of the 58 passenger seats of this around-the-world flight airship, Australasia did not monopolize all and distributed 6 to the United States, 10 to Britain, 8 to Germany, 7 to Russia, and 5 each to France, Austria, and Italy.

This also implies that the airship tickets Australasia could sell domestically are only 12, merely around one-sixth of the total.

However, this did not prevent Australasia from claiming all the credit for this global voyage. The interest shown by various countries in airship tickets also indicated their interest in airships, so Arthur did not decline.

Anyway, the current price of airship tickets is quite expensive, with a single ticket costing hundreds of pounds, more than what an average Australasian can afford.

Arthur was quite pleased to see the European countries vying for airship tickets. Once this global voyage is successful, it would signify the commercialization of airships.

Australasia, being the first country to achieve global navigation by airship, will leave a deep impression on the people and nations worldwide through their airships.

The selling of airships, airship technology, and so on, will bring tremendous profits to Australasia. The value of these profits is far more important than these few dozen airship tickets.

“Ladies and gentlemen, our aerospace laboratory has now achieved assembly line production for the AU-3 airship. If this global flight is successful, we plan to support the establishment of aviation companies and find aviation company partners worldwide,” said Director Theodore, giving a plug for the lab’s airship-building technology at the end of the airship presentation.

Barring any unexpected circumstances, such words will be repeated at all stops until they reach the ears of the capitalists and nobility of major European and American countries.

Director Theodore’s intention is clear – to promote the airship market and make a big profit for the aerospace laboratory.

If airships achieve global navigation, their value is entirely comparable to that of ocean liners.

Even just in terms of time spent, airships and ocean liners are not on the same level.

A trip from Europe to America takes at least one to two weeks. The trip from Europe to Australasia or Asia takes more than a month.

Even the most advanced warship would take at least two to three months to sail around the world.

But judging by the speed of the airship, a passenger-only airship seems to need only a few days to travel from Europe to North America.

Even on long trips like from Europe to Asia or Australasia, it’d only take around ten days to half a month.

This means people who choose airships will save time on a scale of weeks, greatly facilitating intercontinental travel.

What’s even better, you can enjoy the scenery and the pleasure of flight on an airship.

But what about an ocean liner? Besides the rocking on the sea surface, does the boundless ocean count as a view?

It might initially, but watching the endless sea for a prolonged time would just increase tedium and irritation.

“Your Majesty, the airship introduction is complete. Request to begin the flight preparation,” said Director Theodore, seeing that the time was almost right and respectfully asked Arthur.

“Yes, it’s about time for the global flight to begin. Director Theodore, I wish you all the best in advance!” Arthur nodded approvingly, fuelling Theodore’s request.

Yes, Director Theodore, the head of the Aeronautical Research Centre, will be in charge of this global flight. He will also be the main pilot of this ship to complete this round-the-world task.

“Yes, Your Majesty, I will not let you down!” Director Theodore nodded solemnly, then turned his eyes to the airship.

The engineers and drivers of the airship, having received the order, hurriedly carried out the final inspections and checks to ensure no accidents would occur before takeoff.

After these tasks were completed, 12 Australasians carrying airship tickets, barely able to contain their excitement, boarded the airship in high spirits under the guidance of the staff.

“Australasian AU-3 airship, codename Dawn, ready for lift-off!”

After all the supplies and personnel had boarded the airship, the Dawn airship slowly flew into the sky under the gaze of all the media and spectators at the site and gradually became a smaller and smaller white dot, until it disappeared.

“The airship era has begun,” said Arthur, watching the airship becoming more distant, his eyes revealing a deep intent.

Witnessing the massive airship gradually ascend into the sky and then disappear, many Australasians had widened their horizons. They remained, enthusiastically discussing it with their friends.

Although they had heard many feats of the airship before, nothing beats seeing for themselves. After witnessing such a colossal airship fly into the sky, many Australasians couldn’t help but imagine how wonderful it would be if they could ride such an enormous airship into the sky and complete a spectacular round-the-world voyage!

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