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The first test flight of a formerly military hybrid airship that is being redeveloped for cargo and luxury travel may be delayed until next year, the company behind the venture has said.
Andy Barton, business development director at Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), said: “We hope to do it later this year, although it may slip into next year. We need our permit to fly first, which may not be available until April/May next year.”
HAV operates from an airfield that contains the UK’s largest hangar at Cardington, Bedfordshire. The company developed and built the HAV304 aircraft for Lockheed Martin, but bought the hybrid airship back from the US in 2013 after the defence project for which it was required was cancelled. The company has renamed the aircraft Airlander 10 to make it more marketing-friendly, and is commercialising it for the cargo and luxury travel markets.
The hybrid airship/plane/helicopter is the world’s largest aircraft, at 91m long, 34m wide and 26m high when fully inflated. The hull is filled with inert helium and is made from a composite of Kevlar, Mylar, and Vectran. The aircraft has four propellers and
is powered by four diesel-powered, turbocharged V8 engines. Its maximum airspeed is about 92mph, and it has a payload capacity of 10,000kg.
HAV is looking for companies to help it develop a 80bhp bow thruster motor, 325hp electric propulsion motors and batteries for Airlander 10, Barton added.
The company has £1.79 million of funding from the EU, grants from the UK government and £9 million of investment from existing shareholders to develop Airlander 10. It is also crowdfunding by selling a further £2 million of shares through an internet site.
Aerospace eyes other sectors for 'breakthrough' help
The aerospace industry is looking for engineers from other sectors to help it develop ‘breakthrough’ technologies as part of a £10 million research project with funding
from Innovate UK.
The ‘Game-changing technologies in aerospace’ competition, which has an applications deadline of 12 November, will provide funding of up to £1.5 million for up to 30 R&D projects in areas such as manufacturing, materials, power, propulsion and aerodynamics and software.
A networking event in London for the competition attracted 220 attendees.