A giant British-built airship capable of carrying 200 passengers and landing on water will hit the skies within a decade, The European understands
The huge blimp, called Airlander 50, will become the world’s largest ever aircraft when it enters operation in 2033.
Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) said the all-electric vehicle will be a scaled-up version of its Airlander 10, a 302ft-long airship that was first developed for the US government.
The Airlander 10, which cost £25million and is filled with one million cubic feet of helium, is nicknamed the ‘Flying Bum’ on account of its shape.
It hit the headlines in 2016 when it crashed during a test flight at its base at Cardington Airfield in Bedfordshire. No crew were injured.
With a payload of 50 tonnes, the Airlander 50 – dubbed ‘Mega Booty’ due to its size – will carry five times as much weight as its smaller cousin.
Plans show it will be large enough to transport six 20ft shipping containers and 48 people, or 200 passengers, with a maximum range of 2,200 kilometres.
The aircraft is also designed to take off and land on water, ice, and sand, meaning it can reach remote locations without harming the environment or requiring a conventional runway.
According to HAV, the Airlander 10 promises to reduce CO2 emissions by 1.15kg per tonne for freight per kilometre compared to an aeroplane.
The company is already planning Airlander 200, a blimp with the ability to fly 200 tonnes of freight long distances.
Last year, HAV announced that the Airlander 10 would be manufactured at the Carcroft Common site in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, with the first set to enter service by 2030.
Subject to planning approval, it is hoped there will be capacity to make 24 airships a year in a move that will boost employment and generate supply chain opportunities across the UK.
Orders have already been placed to the value of £1billion, with the first routes expected across Spain with the Spanish airline, Air Nostrum.
Other routes could reportedly include internal British flights to and between the Scottish islands and to Scandinavia.
Speaking at the time, the then Shadow Secretary of State, Ed Milliband MP, said: “This is absolutely fantastic news for Carcroft and for Doncaster. This new production site will create over 1200 much needed highly skilled jobs to the area as well as bring green air travel a step closer.”
Despite appearances, HAV’s Airlander 10 is not a traditional airship but rather a hybrid vehicle that relies on helium for lift and engine power for take-off and landing.
The Airlander 10 prototype carried out six successful test flights between 2016 and 2017, before being retired after breaking its moorings and self-deflating.
As a result, HAV introduced improvements to the Airlander 10’s design, including an air cushion landing system.
Tom Grundy, HAV’s CEO, said his firm would collaborate with regional partners including the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and the Doncaster University Technical College.
“Airlander 10 will transform what’s possible for sustainable air travel, and Carcroft Common will deliver the flagship production centre we need to do that, creating over 1,200 jobs and a £1bn per annum export,” he added.
