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The world's longest aircraft, dubbed 'The Flying Bum' is set to go into full production to take its first passengers to the skies after successful final tests.
It comes after the Airlander 10 prototype was retired after it collapsed and plummeted into a field.
Also at BBC:
The world's longest aircraft is to go into full production with a model that will take its first paying passengers.
It comes after the prototype £32m Airlander 10 - a combined plane and airship - was formally retired following successful final testing.
As a result, Bedford firm Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) has been given Production Organisation Approval from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
[...] The firm was given Design Organisation Approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency (Easa) in October.
Stephen McGlennan, HAV's chief executive, said 2018 had been very good, with Easa's backing a "huge highlight".
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 15 2019, @04:18PM (1 child)
Would an airship function in the updraft from a large fire? That seems like a disaster waiting to happen.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Phoenix666 on Wednesday January 16 2019, @11:55AM
An airship of sufficient size could circle the fire at slow speed, dousing the flames with water or fire retardant. In forest fires choppers can hover and accurately deliver a spray, but they can't carry that much. Planes can carry much more, but it's easy for them to miss their target.
Moreover, an airship can dwell over a swathe of wilderness for extended times the way planes and choppers can't, without expending tremendous quantities of fuel. They can be on station to jump on top of lightning strikes or other incipient forest fires, so that they don't build to conflagrations that require thousands to put out.
Washington DC delenda est.