CALGARY – – Think some of your competitors are full of hot air? Just wait until the people from SkyHook get into the freight-hauling game.

SkyHook International is a Calgary-based zeppelin builder. And if the company gets its way, SkyHook will be bidding for loads, soon.

In partnership with Boeing, SkyHook is developing a massive cargo airship, capable of carrying 80K tons of cargo a distance of more than 200 miles. The so-called Heavy Lift Vehicle (HLV) might be ready as early as 2014.

What does this mean to Canadian transport?

According to Dr. Barry Prentice of the University of Manitoba, it’s only a matter of time before airships become the carrier of choice for delivering goods, particularly to oil and mining sites, in Northern Canada.

A new generation of cargo airships would have a revolutionary impact on northern transportation and logistics, proponents say.

Presently, over 16 teams are working in 8 different countries with actual airships and aerostats.

Transport prof: Zeppelin-hauling
would revolutionize shipping

The Calgary Sun reports that proponents of this technology will be meeting here this week at something called the Arctic 5 conference, which will bring together more than a dozen companies from the around the world interested in this mode of transportation.

"We’re at the tipping point," Dr. Prentice is quoted as saying. "Once there’s one airship in the sky, there’ll be a stampede towards airships."

So does this mean ice-road truckers will soon be ice-road fliers — especially since, supposedly, climate change is shortening the season for stable ice roads?

Don’t hold your breath that it’ll happen anytime soon. The Sun reports that a new zeppelin will cost about $50 million.

And you’re worried about convincing customers that you need to raise rates?