Airlander Airship

[SKB]

Its fairly safe to fly high above a hurricane, and even in the 'eye', where there is very little turbulence. Airlander is rated for an altitude of 20,000 feet (6,100 metres)

[bobp]

Airlander has broke free from its mooring and crashed. Possibly heavy damage and a couple of injuries.

Story Here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-be ... s-42037832

[SKB]

Hybrid Air Vehicles statement (18th November 2017):

Today there was an incident with the Airlander aircraft at Cardington airfield.

The aircraft was not flying at the time of the incident. Our initial assessment is that the aircraft broke free from its mooring mast for reasons that will be investigated. The aircraft has a safety system which operates automatically in circumstances of the aircraft breaking free of its mast, and is designed to rip open the hull and deflate the aircraft. This is a safety feature to ensure our aircraft minimises any potential damage to its surroundings in these circumstances. The aircraft is now deflated and secure on the edge of the airfield. The fuel and helium inside the Airlander have been made safe.

A member of HAV staff sustained minor injuries and was taken to hospital for assessment as a precaution. She has since been discharged. A separate member of staff also sustained minor injuries while dealing with the aftermath of the incident.

A number of local roads and a local footpath were temporarily closed off by Bedfordshire Police and we apologise for any inconvenience this has caused local residents.

We are testing a brand new type of aircraft and incidents of this nature can occur during this phase of development. We will assess the cause of the incident and the extent of repairs needed to the aircraft in the next few weeks.

[SKB]

(BBC)

The world's longest aircraft will be rebuilt after it collapsed hours after a successful test flight, the firm behind it said.
The Airlander 10 - a combination of a plane and an airship - collapsed on Saturday at its Bedfordshire base.

Owner Hybrid Air Vehicles Ltd said the aircraft appeared to have broken its moorings, triggering a safety system which deflates it.
It said "the company will keep going" but that fundraising had been "paused".

An email to shareholders said: "We have paused for the time being collecting any payments in respect of the current fundraising and will be back in touch once we have determined our best course of action."

The damage assessment is expected to take "weeks" according to a spokesman. No-one was on board when the collapse happened, but two people on the ground suffered minor injuries.

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-be ... s-42052683

[SKB]

Following the retirement of the prototype Airlander 10 after passing its flight tests, the Airlander 10 has received the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Production Organisation Approval and EASA Design Organisation Approval.

As of January 2019, the company is planning to manufacture a batch of certified, production standard Airlander 10 hybrid airships from a new facility elsewhere in Bedfordshire, having left its original Cardington hangar base.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-b ... s-46810151

[Timmymagic]

Is there a facility that can match Cardington? What else is happening there? Presumably they'll return for flight trials.

i think the move to production versions is primarily as a result of them getting an insurance payout of £20m from the Airlander crash, they may as well go and build the real thing and see if it sells.

[serge750]

Well this is genuinely a pleasant surprise, I honestly thought it would be another 'airship' venture that quietly announced bankruptcy a few years down the road after the market didn't buy any...

Do wonder where in South Yorkshire they'll be, they've got a link up with Sheffield University.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... -yorkshire

[dmereifield]

Fantastic news

[Caribbean]

Shame they are moving from Bedford - it has such a long association with airships in the UK, both old and new. I have memories of clambering all over an, if IIRC, Airship Industries prototype in the Cardington Airsheds, sometime in the early 70s, when the weather was too bad to fly on our gliding course over at RAF Henlow.

[SKB]

https://www.hybridairvehicles.com/news- ... -customer/

[Timmymagic]

Shame they are moving from Bedford - it has such a long association with airships in the UK, both old and new. I have memories of clambering all over an, if IIRC, Airship Industries prototype in the Cardington Airsheds, sometime in the early 70s, when the weather was too bad to fly on our gliding course over at RAF Henlow.

I've honestly no idea why they would have moved from Cardington, Can't imagine there are any facilities in the UK that are as useful. The sheds there are used a lot for rehearsals and sets for films though.

[Timmymagic]

Air Nostrum are a 'real' company as well. Part of Iberia, fleet size of over 40 aircraft and revenue of c500m EUR a year.

[mr.fred]

I've honestly no idea why they would have moved from Cardington, Can't imagine there are any facilities in the UK that are as useful. The sheds there are used a lot for rehearsals and sets for films though.

Possibly the money from the film industry for renting the sheds is what’s covering them to make the airships?

[Caribbean]

The sheds there are used a lot for rehearsals and sets for films though.

I think it's just the #2 shed that is used for filming. To be fair though, with the way the UK film industry is going these days, they could probably fill #1 shed as well. They are massive spaces.

[Timmymagic]

Possibly the money from the film industry for renting the sheds is what’s covering them to make the airships?

Hangar 2 is owned by Cardington Studios, Hangar 1 is owned by Gallagher Developments. No idea what they'll be using it for, they'll never be allowed to pull it down for housing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-b ... s-46211384