Airlander returning to flight
Above: Airlander is beginning to take shape, with the next stage of development being the attachment of the fins and engines, which will make the Airlander look complete.
The Airlander - which made its first test flight in New Jersey, USA on 7th August 2012 - continues to make progress towards a flight in the UK, possibly as early as next month.
Last month a number of major attachments under the hull were completed in preparation for the forthcoming first flight of Airlander in the spring, beginning with the fuel module at the rear of the aircraft, followed by the payload beam, (which will support bulky external cargo) and finally, the cockpit and payload bay (the Mission Module).
Mike Durham, Hybrid Air Vehicles’ Technical Director, said: “It’s very satisfying for the team and me to get another milestone under our belts. We’re hugely excited about the forthcoming Airlander First Flight this year.”
The essential components attached to the hull are secured using pioneering British technology. The mass of the aircraft is supported from strengthened features built into the hull during manufacture. Multiple attachment points on each part of the structure allow the load to be distributed evenly.
Unlike traditional airships, the Airlander has no internal structure but it becomes rigid through being filled with helium, at just above atmospheric pressure. The super-strong hull material has been especially designed by Warwick Mills and assembled by ILC Dover, the company who make NASA spacesuits. Its innovative composition includes a woven fabric for strength on the inside and a Tedlar layer for protection on the outside, sandwiching a mylar film to retain the helium.
The very latest materials, which are both strong and light, are used throughout the manufacture of our cutting-edge Airlander 10, ranging from the bespoke hull fabric to the mainly carbon composite Mission Module, Fuel Module, Ducts and engine support battens.
Hybrid Air Vehicles combine the best of aeroplanes and helicopters with lighter-than-air technology to bring brand new capabilities to aircraft. An Airlander produces 60% of its lift aerostatically (by being lighter-than-air) and 40% aerodynamically (by being wing-shaped) as well as having the ability to rotate its engines to provide an additional 25% of thrust up or down; this means the Airlander can hover as well as land on almost any surface, including ice, desert and even water. It produces less noise and pollution, with a lower carbon footprint than conventional aircraft, whilst providing greater endurance and cargo-carrying capacity than other flying vehicles.
