The Airlander 10, currently the largest aircraft in the world, flew again yesterday (10/05) after suffering an accident that affected the structure of the airship, and with that it was on the ground to carry out repairs. The Airlander left the ground at 17:28 pm local time and spent 180 minutes flying around Shortstown before touching down at 20:15 pm.
The airship did not exceed an altitude of 4000 feet during the flight, and was not more than 15 miles from the starting point. The three points measured in the flight were successfully performed, and included aircraft performance factors, take-off and landing procedures, in addition to ing the flight envelope.
Among the implementations that Airlander 10 received during the repair period is a set of “airbags” to allow the airship to land at a greater angle. The aircraft should still make another 20 to 30 flights in 2017, to validate the critical flight systems.
The Airlander is 92 meters long, 44 meters wide and 26 meters high, it stands out for being different from the famous and giant airships of the past, starting with its structure that makes it possible to use a larger volume of helium (He) without needing a great length in its structure. The fact of using Helium makes the airship less susceptible to incidents.
The main purpose of the aircraft is to carry loads of up to 10 tons, to carry out ground surveillance and tourist flights.
In its final phase, the Airlander 10 should be able to fly for two weeks non-stop for refueling, withstand an impact similar to the firing of several projectiles and fly in any environmental and climatic condition. The project is financed by the European Union and the United Kingdom, and it is estimated that more than 500 of these airships will be sold in the coming years.
Photos – HAV
