Hybrid Air Vehicles’s Airlander 10
You Won’t Mistake It For Anything Else
by
Larry E. Nazimek
Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) is developing the Airlander 10, a vehicle they say will “...bridge the gap between fast energy-intensive aircraft and slower infrastructure-dependent surface transport.” They also tout its energy efficiency, in that it will produce “…up to 90% fewer CO2 emissions compared to traditional aircraft doing similar routes.”
Airships serve various purposes today, but they must utilize moorings and have a ground crew ready when it lands. They are not designed to carry heavy payloads or a large number of passengers, but Airlander can do just that, and it can land on virtually any flat surface, whether it’s an isolated island, desert, or tundra.
It won’t compete with airplanes for long distance travel, because airplanes are much faster, but it can compete for short distance travel, where you can go from A to B, instead of going from A to it’s nearest airport, fly to B’s nearest airport, and then to B. It’s major feature, however, is its versatility.
It’s not a matter of if it will get off the ground, because it already has. It was originally developed with Northrup Grumman as the HAV 304 for the U. S. Army’s Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) program. It’s first flight was in 2012 at Lakehurst, NJ, but in 2013 the project was canceled.
HAV reacquired the vehicle, bringing it back to Cardington Airfield in England. It was reassembled and refurbished for a civilian role.
It is a “hybrid airship,” deriving its lift from aerostatic (lighter than air technology, using helium), aerodynamic forces, and downward thrust. Unlike most airship designs, it doesn’t have a circular cross-section, but rather an elliptical shape with a contoured and flattened hull, contributing aerodynamic lift when the vehicle is in forward motion. It also has tail surfaces. At slower speeds, such as for takeoff and landing, it’s vectored thrust would play a role.
Airlander 10 is capable of carrying 100 passengers or 10 tons with a range of 4,000 NM. It’s cruising speed is 55 knots, and it’s top speed is 70 knots. It’s maximum altitude is 20,000 ft. It can remain airborne for 5 days.
It has a length of 321 ft., 6 in., a “wingspan” of 164 ft., and a height of 98 ft., 5 in.
It is powered by four engines, with two pushers in the rear and two toward the lower front that rotate for takeoff and landing to provide downward thrust. The two forward engines can be shut down for cruise.
Airplanes generally use the runways that allow a headwind, but there are times when they must operate with strong crosswind. Since the Airlander 10 does not need a runway, it can always point itself so as to takeoff or land into the wind. This means that with its aerodynamic design, the wind will always provide some lift. It can take off and land in up to 30 knots of wind, noteworthy in that a Boeing 737 has a maximum crosswind limit of 35 knots.
Hybrid Air Vehicles puts a great deal of emphasis on its low CO2 output. Initially, the combustion engines burn jet fuel. The two front engines will be replaced with electric motors, and eventually, all four will be electric.
With all four combustion engines, Airlander 10 will deliver up to a 75% reduction in emissions over comparable aircraft. When the two front engines are replaced by electric motors, the reduction will be 90%, and when all four are electric, the reduction will be 100%.
The hull is protected from lightning strikes by conductive braids on its outside, so that a strike attaches to the lightning protection conductors and is dissipated in a controlled manner. The payload module is protected by a very thin conductive mesh built into the outer skin of the module, conducting the strike across the skin rather than inside the module.
Since the Airlander 10 will have a military role, its ability to avoid threats must be taken into account. Since the hull (or envelope) is constructed largely of fabric and is filled with helium, it will have a relatively low radar cross section. Its engines will have relatively low infrared radiation compared to the jet engines of other aircraft. Since they are spaced widely apart, Airlander’s heat signature is even lower than an aircraft with the same number of engines. Furthermore the Airlander is relatively quiet.
Although it is large, it will operate at altitudes above small arms fire. The pressure differential between the internal helium space and the external atmosphere is very low, so punctures to the hull would result in very slow leakage, allowing a gradual controlled descent.
With the four engines, fuel lines, and control lines widely dispersed, damage to one part is relatively unlikely to result in the loss of the aircraft. Since it flies at relatively low speeds, damage caused should not be made worse by the effect of the airflow. Since the Airlander can fly with two working engines, loss of an engine will still allow it to return to base and land.,
The Airlander is being produced in the UK, so all aircraft and aircrew certification is in accordance with their regulations. Pilots will require an Airship Commercial Pilot License CPL(As) plus an Airlander Type Rating.
Spain’s Air Nostrum Group, one of the largest regional airlines in Europe, has reserved ten Airlander 10s for operations on regional routes.
HAV and Scotland’s Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS) are working out a plan for six Airlanders for passenger and freight services. Sightseeing flights are also under consideration.
Construction is underway on the production facility in Doncaster, where they hope for an annual production of 24 Airlander 10s.
If all goes well and many Airlander 10s are sold, a larger version, the Airlander 50, capable of carrying 200 passengers or 50 tons, could be a next step.
For further information: https://www.hybridairvehicles.com/