Home International World’s largest aircraft finally takes to the skies for a successful maiden...

World’s largest aircraft finally takes to the skies for a successful maiden voyage

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Crowds clapped and cheered as the craft soared above them during its first outing from the First World War hangar where it was revealed in March after undergoing 'hundreds' of changes by Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) over two years
  • 302ft-long Airlander 10 is part plane, part helicopter, part airship, and has been refurbished in the UK

  • Today, plane spotters gathered to watch its maiden voyage at the Cardington airfield in Bedfordshire

  • Bulbous exterior has earned the famous aircraft the nickname of ‘the flying bum’ among enthusiasts

August 18, 2016: The world’s largest aircraft branded ‘the flying bum’ has taken to the skies in a successful maiden voyage – the first since a revamp in Britain.

The 302ft-long Airlander 10 – part plane, part helicopter, part airship – loomed overhead at Cardington airfield in Bedfordshire as the sun started to set on this evening.

Photographers and plane spotters baked in the sun as they waited to see the aircraft, whose bulbous exterior has earned it the less-than-glamorous nickname ‘the flying bum’, take off.

The world's largest aircraft has taken to the skies in a successful maiden voyage - the first since a revamp in Britain
The world’s largest aircraft has taken to the skies in a successful maiden voyage – the first since a revamp in Britain

 

The aircraft (pictured) has been nicknamed 'the flying bum' by enthusiasts because of its unusual shape
The aircraft (pictured) has been nicknamed ‘the flying bum’ by enthusiasts because of its unusual shape

 

One lone man sets up a deckchair earlier in the day to secure a good spot for the maiden voyage of the Airlander (pictured)
One lone man sets up a deckchair earlier in the day to secure a good spot for the maiden voyage of the Airlander (pictured)

 

The Airlander 10, the largest aircraft in the world, during its maiden flight at Cardington airfield in Bedfordshire.
The Airlander 10, the largest aircraft in the world, during its maiden flight at Cardington airfield in Bedfordshire.

The developers called the ship a ‘great British innovation’ after the flight, which was a modern milestone in airships, which was all but abandoned after the famous Hindenburg disaster in 1937.

Stephen McGlennan, chief executive of Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), added: ‘It’s a combination of an aircraft that has parts of normal fixed-wing aircraft, it’s got helicopter, it’s got airship.’

The Airlander is designed to use less fuel than a plane, but carry heavier loads than conventional airships.

HAV say it can reach 16,000 feet, travel at up to 90 mph and stay aloft for up to two weeks.

The aircraft was initially developed for the U.S. military, which planned to use it for surveillance in Afghanistan.

But the US blimp program was scrapped in 2013 and since then, HAV, a small British aviation firm that dreams of ushering in a new era for airships, has sought funding from government agencies and individual donors.

The vast aircraft is based at Cardington, where the first British airships were built during and after World War I. That program was abandoned after a 1930 crash that killed almost 50 people, including Britain’s air minister.

That accident and others — including the fiery 1937 crash in New Jersey of the Hindenburg, which killed 35 — dashed the dream of the airship as a mode of transportation for decades.

First developed for the US government as a long-endurance surveillance aircraft, the British firm launched a campaign to return the craft to the sky after it fell foul of defence cutbacks
First developed for the US government as a long-endurance surveillance aircraft, the British firm launched a campaign to return the craft to the sky after it fell foul of defence cutbacks

 

After a successful first flight on Wednesday, the aircraft can be seen preparing to land back at the airfield in Bedford
After a successful first flight on Wednesday, the aircraft can be seen preparing to land back at the airfield in Bedford

Unlike hydrogen, the gas used in the Hindenburg, helium is not flammable.

The flight on Wednesday came days after a test flight planned for Sunday was scrapped at the last minute because of an unspecified technical issue.

Mr McGlennan said the team had been waiting for low winds for the launch on Wednesday but added the airship could ‘operate very happily’ in 80 knots of wind.

He said: ‘Think of a big helicopter, a really giant helicopter. This can do the same thing that a helicopter can do – that’s to say, provide air transportation for people and goods without the need for a runway – but this thing can take more over longer distances, it’s cheaper and it’s greener.

McGlennan is confident there will be plenty of customers for Airlander — both civilian and military — because of its potential to gather data and conduct surveillance for days on end.

It can also carry up to 10 metric tons (22,050 pounds) of passengers or cargo. The company hopes to have an even bigger aircraft, capable of carrying 50 metric tons (110,000 pounds), in service by the early 2020s.

Preparations are made for the maiden flight of the Airlander 10, the largest aircraft in the world, at Cardington airfield
Preparations are made for the maiden flight of the Airlander 10, the largest aircraft in the world, at Cardington airfield

 

Crowds clapped and cheered as the craft soared above them during its first outing from the First World War hangar where it was revealed in March after undergoing 'hundreds' of changes by Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) over two years
Crowds clapped and cheered as the craft soared above them during its first outing from the First World War hangar where it was revealed in March after undergoing ‘hundreds’ of changes by Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) over two years

 

Mr McGlennan said the team had been waiting for low winds for the launch on Wednesday but added the airship could 'operate very happily' in 80 knots of wind
Mr McGlennan said the team had been waiting for low winds for the launch on Wednesday but added the airship could ‘operate very happily’ in 80 knots of wind

 

The flight on Wednesday came days after a test flight planned for Sunday was scrapped at the last minute because of an unspecified technical issue.
The flight on Wednesday came days after a test flight planned for Sunday was scrapped at the last minute because of an unspecified technical issue.

McGlennan said Airlander has many of the assets of a helicopter.

It can ‘provide air transportation for people and goods without the need for a runway. But this thing can take more over longer distances, it’s cheaper and it’s greener,’ he said.

Chris Pocock, defense editor of aviation magazine AIN, said the jury is still out on whether the craft is commercially viable.

‘Airships and hybrids have still got a credibility gap to cover,’ he said. ‘Technically I think they are there now, but economically I’m not so sure.’

Crowds clapped and cheered as the craft soared above them during its first outing from the First World War hangar where it was revealed in March after undergoing ‘hundreds’ of changes by HAV over two years.

The Airlander took off at approximately 7.40pm and performed one lap of the airfield before landing about half an hour later, with light fast fading and the moon visible in the sky.

It is about 50ft longer than the biggest passenger jets but its four engines appeared noticeably quieter than a plane or helicopter as it took to the skies.

People could be seen by the side of the airfield getting pictures and footage of the momentous flight
People could be seen by the side of the airfield getting pictures and footage of the momentous flight

 

HAV chief executive officer Stephen McGlennan said the team had been waiting for low winds for the launch but added the airship could 'operate very happily' in 80 knots of wind
HAV chief executive officer Stephen McGlennan said the team had been waiting for low winds for the launch but added the airship could ‘operate very happily’ in 80 knots of wind

 

The ship is about 50ft (15 metres) longer than the biggest passenger jets but its four engines appeared noticeably quieter than a plane or helicopter as it took to the skies
The ship is about 50ft (15 metres) longer than the biggest passenger jets but its four engines appeared noticeably quieter than a plane or helicopter as it took to the skies

 

Mr McGlennan, who is not a pilot but has practised flying the craft on a simulator, said it was 'very simple' to manoeuvre
Mr McGlennan, who is not a pilot but has practised flying the craft on a simulator, said it was ‘very simple’ to manoeuvre

 

It took off to a large crowd of people who wanted to witness the inaugural flight of the massive aircraft (pictured)
It took off to a large crowd of people who wanted to witness the inaugural flight of the massive aircraft (pictured)

Mr McGlennan, who is not a pilot but has practised flying the craft on a simulator, said it was ‘very simple’ to manoeuvre.

He said: ‘It’s a very stable, benign aircraft that responds very gently in flight, we expect it to be an unusually calm flight experience.’

People have been practising to fly it for at least five years, he added.

By James Dunn