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The other problem with airships is that they are far too affected by the weather. The US lost a number of airships between the two world wars to weather events. (Three major ones that I can think of: Akron, Macon, and Shenendoah.) They're large enough to be severely affected by a good thunderstorm, and not fast or high enough to get out of the way of such a storm.
That's in addition to the PR nightmare that the Hindenburg disaster imprinted in the public's minds.
As for helicopters, last I checked they were not very fuel efficient, when compared to fixed-wing aircraft, which in turn are not very efficient when compared to ground vehicles.
The Tiltrotor (V-22 above, and the "upcoming, someday, maybe" Bell 609) were developed in large part because they were more fuel efficient in cruise than a helicopter, as well as faster.
-soD
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