We could see giant helium-filled aircraft in the skies by the end of the decade. Britain’s Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) have started the process of gaining safety approval from the UK regulator.
In 2016, the Airlander 10 crash-landed. No one was harmed during this incident. According to BBC, the aircraft had got to “an excessive height because its mooring line became caught on power cables. The 302ft (92m) long aircraft, which is part plane and part airship, nosedived after a test flight at Cardington Airfield in Bedfordshire on 24 August.”
HAV has, however, stated that its technology has been improved since this incident. The helium-filled craft is nicknamed the “flying bum” due to its shape.
Here are some Airlander 10 stats in numbers:
- 44,100 lbs (20,000kg): The weight of the airship
- 20,000ft (6,100m): The altitude it can reach
- 80 knots (148km/h): Maximum speed
- Five days: How long it can stay airborne during human-crewed flights
- 22,050 lbs (10,000kg): Total payload – the weight the ship can carry
The Airlander 10 focuses more on sustainability over speed. The UK has very strict aviation standards. HAV says that it is dedicated to meeting these stringent aviation standards and aims to launch a new eco-friendly revolution in air travel by the end of this decade.
