Airlander 10, a spectacularly huge, helium-pumped aircraft, is unveiled fully assembled for the first time, in a giant aviation hangar near London.
The Airlander 10 is a hybrid airship, achieving lift, and thereby flight, via both aerostatic and aerodynamic forces. Unlike most airship designs, it does not have a circular cross-section, having adopted an elliptical shape with a contoured and flattened hull.
This shaping is deliberate so that it acts as a lifting body, contributing aerodynamic lift while the airship is in forward motion; generating up to half of the airship’s lift in a similar manner to that of a conventional fixed-wing aeroplane.
Buoyancy is also provided by helium contained within the envelope, the pressure from which maintains the airship’s unique shape. Between 60 percent and 80 percent of the aircraft’s weight is supported by the lighter-than-air helium.
The world’s largest aircraft, Airlander 10 nicknamed “the flying butt” successfully made its first flight in the UK on August 17, after a long period of improvement.
Airlander 10 completed its first 20-minute journey including takeoff and landing at Cardington Airport, England. Previously, this aircraft had its scheduled flight postponed due to technical problems on August 14.
The Airlander 10 is designed to use less fuel but carry more cargo than conventional aircraft. This plane can reach an altitude of 4,877 m, move at speeds of up to 145 km/h and hover in the air for two weeks.
The Airlander 10 was originally developed for the US military as a reconnaissance aircraft, but the project was later stopped due to budget cuts. Manufacturer Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) said the Airlander 10 also has the functions of a commercial vehicle, such as carrying goods or performing search and rescue missions.
Airlander 10 can fly continuously for 5 days with people and 10 days in an empty state. In addition, this giant aircraft with a payload of 10 tons can carry 48 passengers and fly at an altitude of over 6,000m. In particular, the Airlander 10 is capable of landing on all terrains, from flat land, snow, ice, desert to water.
The Airlander 10 is nicknamed “the flying butt” because of its unique shape.
