UK Defence Forum

The Hybrid Air Vehicles Airlander 10, originally developed as the HAV 304, is a hybrid airship designed and built by British manufacturer Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV). Comprising a helium airship with auxiliary wing and tail surfaces, it flies using both aerostatic and aerodynamic lift and is powered by four diesel engine-driven ducted propellers.

The HAV 304 was originally built for the United States Army's Long Endurance Multi-intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) programme. Its maiden flight took place in 2012 at Lakehurst, New Jersey, in the US. In 2013, the LEMV project was cancelled by the US Army.

HAV reacquired the airship and brought it back to Cardington Airfield in England. It was reassembled and modified for civilian use, and in this form was redesignated the Airlander 10. The modified aircraft completed design certification testing before being written off [1] when it came loose from its moorings in a high wind on 18 November 2017 at Cardington Airfield.

A production run of the Airlander 10 is now planned for 2025.[2]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_Ai ... rlander_10

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Hopefully HM armed forces will get some, really see the need for persistent ISTAR and Maritime patrol.

I wonder how much wind it can operate in. Gets a bit blowy around UK shores. That's a hell of a lot of surface area for wind to act upon.

If one of the reasons the U.S army did not go forward with it, was not meeting "technical specifications" it might be limited to commercial use only

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First Airlander 10 officially named


The Airlander 10 has been christened "Martha Gwyn" after Hybrid Air Vehicles chairman Philip Gwyn's wife.



More: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/ ... -Kent.html

History recap:

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Naming a ship famous for its posterior-shaped-imagery after his wife.

There's more depth to it than you might think. :p

Oh its not Kardishan's Ass then

SKB wrote:The Airlander 10 has been christened "Martha Gwyn" after Hybrid Air Vehicles chairman Philip Gwyn's wife.

So they're not calling it Floaty McFloatface? That's a shame.

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? 'The flying flange'?

Sadly she hasn't received the necessary clearances in time for FIA2016. Shame it could have been a great sales puller.

No other gas bags available to fill in?

Air lander has left the building

According to their Facebook site, she left the hangar at 4 am this morning to perform outside testing.

No flying today, its ground systems tests.

Read the first paragraph of this Miami Herald report of Airlander and try to keep a straight face.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation- ... 21452.html

SKB very funny I agree but if you turn to page 1 of this thread you will see we have heard this all before. Possibly Miami Herald have been reading here.

Airlander to fly today!

Awww...

She's about to take off

looking good! now they need to decide how to make some money out of them.

Next, Royal navy cancel the solid support ship and purchase a fleet of airships.

Cue a mass of UFO reports.