World’s largest aircraft damaged after bumpy landing on second test flight
by The Associated Press
Airship developer said there were no injuries, but some damage when blimp-helicopter-airplane hybrid took a slow nosedive on landing pad
The 92-metre airship is based at Cardington airfield, where the first British airships were built during and after the First World War. PHOTO: Hybrid Air Vehicles
LONDON—The developer of the world’s largest aircraft says the blimp-shaped airship “sustained damage” after it made a bumpy landing on its second test flight in eastern England.
Hybrid Air Vehicles says it is trying to figure out what caused the rough landing of the 302-foot (92-meter) Airlander 10 during its flight Aug. 24 in Bedfordshire, north of London.
In a statement on Facebook it said all “crew are safe and well and there are no injuries.”
A hybrid of blimp, helicopter and airplane, the Airlander is able to stay aloft for days at a time. It is designed to use less fuel than a plane, but carry heavier loads than conventional airships.
The aircraft was initially developed for the U.S. military for use in surveillance in Afghanistan.
