Will this big bad boy actually work?

[foxOneFive]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...-airship-unveiled-UK-hailed-game-changer.html

Ok, I know we are talking helium and not hydrogen. But the wind up there is "windy"
Was In a balloon a few years ago, and was a wonderful experience, but very aware of the weather dictating my flight?
Sounds good on paper "sorry, that old chestnut"

 

[propersplitbrainme]

Nah, it looks like a load of old arse.

 

[Rigga]

It's designed to:
- fly at up to 70mph - so it can probably move away from bad weather...like any other plane would.
- fly itself down to the ground and land without any Infrastructure...without even a mooring mast.
- fly for up to 5 days manned or 21 unmanned
- - It could loiter at 20 knots with O/IR cameras, a variety of radars and scanners, broadcasting and relay equipment at a height or distance beyond manpads and smaller missile ranges.
- use less fuel in 5 days than a Tonka in one hour (okay, maybe two hours).
- fly with up to 10 tonnes of payload.
- be extremely tolerant of bullets and small missiles
- suffer all 4 engines failing and still wait a couple of hours for a decent landing site to present itself

Seems too good hey?

 

[SORRY CJ]

Looks like a big grey arse.

Mr SCJ

 

[Witty_Banter]

Hmm, 70mph over 4200 miles = 2.5 / 3 days constant flying to get from here to the US... can't see Virgin Atlantic getting one...

 

[Gonterseed]

Hmm, 70mph over 4200 miles = 2.5 / 3 days constant flying to get from here to the US... can't see Virgin Atlantic getting one...

Dunno about that. Something that size, could have the old "zimmer mit frau" to while away the journey.

 

[Rigga]

Having read extensively on the development of the thing, there appears to be several Cruise type plans for this - desert and arctic flights included, similar to the flights of the R100 and Graf Zeppelin - airships that didn't explode!

Maybe Virgin would like one of those?

There appears to be quite an interest from several military organisations too, although its not clear which countries...?

 

[Entropy]

I think it has potential as it looks like they are trying to fill the gap between the Antonov 124 and Sea transport. The manned/unmanned options gives it the flexibility to cover most of the space between the options of time/weight/size.

As for military options, the ability to loiter for a very long time with a few TONS of sneaky beaky stuff must be the stuff of dreams for higher echelons of the military.

Don't even go there about the logistical supply options. The Bastion scenario would have meant a weekly supply with this option compared to a 747 running ever other day.

Just hope that we keep this British and don't sell it off for pittance to some overseas company for them to exploit across the globe.h

 

[foxOneFive]

Having read all of the above. And researching what is online. I have come to the
conclusion that it appears to be a fine concept. Hats off to everyone at Cardington.
In an Ideal world it seams perfect. Ok, it can be used “unmanned” But there’s no way
I would be sitting in it over a war zone. To big and slow and hit-able?
Great to hear Cardington still being used. Was in hanger one in the 90's. Bloody massive!

 

[Rigga]

"Ok, it can be used “unmanned” But there’s no way I would be sitting in it over a war zone. To big and slow and hit-able?"

Hull Pressure is about 0.25psi...meaning it won't 'POP' at all if hit by bullets or even if hit by a missile (that, if it could find it, should pass through it). It will leak like a slow puncture and it has a hull pressure system that could deal with a leak like that for a few hours.
It can loiter at up to 20,000ft which, if coloured as currently is, should be almost invisible to the human eye - and radar and scanners work over great distances at that sort of height...the likelihood of being spotted seems distant and being fired at may be more distant...at least to begin with.
...5 days in a small tin can may be a bit boring though.

 

[rest have risen above me]

As long as we keep picking fights with countries/groups with no air force it will work. Other wise its just a big arse waiting to get spanked by any fighter.

 

[Rigga]

I would think it woud be parked some miles away from an immediate danger like that...but would be able to see it coming and possibly get CAP support?

 

[FOMz]

Airlander 10: New pictures of world's longest aircraft

Airlander 10: New pictures of world's longest aircraft

New photographs of the world's longest aircraft have been released, before it is unveiled for the first time.

The Airlander 10 is 302ft (92m) long, which is about 60ft (18m) longer than the biggest airliners.

A British firm has spent the last nine years developing the prototype in the UK's biggest aircraft hangar, Cardington in Bedfordshire.

It will be floated inside the hangar for the first time since its completion on Monday.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-35836218

 

[FOMz]

Crowdfunding target reached in less than 10 hours

Crowdfunding target reached in less than 10 hours

Hundreds of people invested £500,000 in less than 10 hours to help get the world's largest aircraft - dubbed the "flying bum" - off the ground.

The £25m Airlander 10 is being built at Cardington Sheds in Bedfordshire and is due to be launched later this month.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-35933333

 

[FOMz]

World's largest aircraft greets the public ahead of first flight tests

World's largest aircraft greets the public ahead of first flight tests

The world's largest aircraft made its first public outing this week.

On August 6 at 4am BST, Hybrid Air Vehicles' helium-buoyant Airlander 10 airship, which was originally developed for the US Army as the Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV), was guided out of its hangar, Airship Shed 1, at RAF Cardington, Bedfordshire, ahead of a short series of ground tests in anticipation of its first flight in Britain.

http://newatlas.com/airlander-ten-worlds-largest-aircraft-rollout/44798/?

 

[Kryten]

It says it can lift a payload of 10,000 kg (22,050 lbs) to an altitude of 20,000 ft (6,100 m) at speeds ranging from 20 to 80 knots (23 to 92 mph, 37 to 148 km/h).

With that in mind, couldn't it be used to carry the sort of freight lorries currently carry and ease the burden on the roads?

 

[Ex-Bay]

It says it can lift a payload of 10,000 kg (22,050 lbs) to an altitude of 20,000 ft (6,100 m) at speeds ranging from 20 to 80 knots (23 to 92 mph, 37 to 148 km/h).

With that in mind, couldn't it be used to carry the sort of freight lorries currently carry and ease the burden on the roads?

I'd love to see it land on a motorway, discharge a cargo and fly away.
It would be handy in the dead of a snow-bound winter, I suspect.

 

[Kryten]

I'd love to see it land on a motorway, discharge a cargo and fly away.
It would be handy in the dead of a snow-bound winter, I suspect.

I'm not sure how practical it would be, but if they could follow the routes of national motorways (except, of course, when said routes take them in proximity to major airports), and they flew at say 100ft, wouldn't you make motorway travel for cars and small vehicles a lot less stressful, ease wear and tear on the motorway, and open up the option to increase the national speed limit as they proposed a few years back?

 

[busby1971]

10 tonnes is a lot but its only a small lorry, rail use would be the best replacement for the standard 30 tonnes of carried in an artic.

So this machine can travel at 95 mph, or is it knots, how windy is up in the high sky?

Sent from my LG-H860 using Tapatalk

 

[Entropy]

As I said earlier, they are looking to fill the gap between the quick delivery/high cost of air transport and the slow/low cost option of sea transport. I think this is an intial design with a view to up-scale if successful.

However I do like their style. They wanted to purchase it direct from the US govt for £4M but US regulations stated that it must sold via a silent auction to get best value etc.). They bought it lock stock and barrel for £300K.