Hybrid Air Vehicles Airlander 10 assembly is complete - on time and on budget
Air vehicle Airlander 10, what is the biggest aircraft in the world, is now ready to roll-out of the Hangar. First Flight took place March 29. After flying successfully for 90 minutes, Airlander 10 touches down serenely as the sun sets, without a need for a runway.
Technical Data Envelope Volume: 38,000 m³ (1,340,000 ft³) Overall Dimensions: length 92 m (302 ft), width 43.5 m (143 ft), - height 26 m (85 ft) Endurance: 5 days manned Altitude: up to 20,000 ft (6,100 m) Speed: cruise 80 Knots (148 km/h), loiter 20 Knots (37 km/h) Total Weight: 20,000 kg (44,100 lbs) Payload capacity: up to 10,000 kg (22,050 lbs) Power Plant: 4 x 350 hp, 4 litre V8 direct injection, turbocharged diesel engines
The First Flight started from and to Cardington Air Field, near Bedford. The remainder of 2016 will see an extensive Flight Test Programme consisting of 200 hours of test flights over a number of months, then a series of trials and demonstrations with prospective customers.
The technology developing in light weight, super strong composite materials is helping to change the future of aircraft production.
On 5 May 2015, Hybrid Air Vehicles concluded a record-breaking £2.1million crowdfunding which together with a UK Government grant and an EU Horizon 2020 grant for highly innovative SMEs permitted to hire almost 100 employees.
Hybrid Air Vehicles’ existing shareholders include PLC Chairmen, Business Angels and Professional Investors. The company currently has around 1000 shareholders who collectively have invested over £17.5 million of equity and debt in the company since its formation in 2007. HAV has benefited from over £60 million of investment in the aircraft from the US Government and approximately £7 million of EU and UK Government grants.
Hybrid Air Vehicles has been awarded €2.5 million in funding from the EU's research and innovation programme, Horizon 2020. The Airlander project was selected for funding through a dedicated SME Instrument of Horizon 2020, which the European Commission uses to invest in and support high growth and highly innovative small businesses. The technology is also fully in line with activities under the Smart, Green and Integrated Transport Societal Challenge of Horizon 2020, which aims to boost the competitiveness of the European transport industries and achieve a European transport system that is resource-efficient, climate-and-environmentally-friendly, safe and seamless for the benefit of all citizens, the economy and society.
Airlanders are low noise, low pollution, and are environmentally-friendly. They have ultra-long endurance, and a point-to-point cargo-carrying capacity. They can take off and land in a short distance from unprepared sites in desert, ice, water, or open field environments. Airlanders utilise new aerospace technology that combines the best characteristics of fixed wing aircraft and helicopters with lighter-than-air technology, to create a new breed of hyper-efficient aircraft, with a significantly lower carbon footprint and operating cost than other forms of air transport.
About Hybrid Air Vehicles
Founded in 2007, Hybrid Air Vehicles is the company behind the innovative Airlander range of hybrid aircraft. They utilise new aerospace technology that combines the best of the characteristics of fixed wing aircraft and helicopters with lighter-than-air technology to create a new breed of hyper-efficient aircraft, with a significantly lower carbon footprint and operating cost than other forms of air transport.
About Airlander 10
The Airlander 10 is designed to stay airborne for up to five days at a time to fulfil a wide range of communication and survey roles, as well as cargo carrying and tourist passenger flights.
Currently, the only way for the general public to see the Airlander in the hangar is through Airlander Club, which offers exclusive hard hat guided tours, regular insights though a monthly newsletter and other special benefits.
