When we say world’s largest aircraft, How big you can imagine ? How many of you are remembering the sequels of “Star Wars” movie? It’s hard to imagine keeping secrets about an aircraft so spectacularly huge that the Guinness Book of Records is believed to be just days away from rubber-stamping its entry. Yes he is coming, Airlander 10 – world’s biggest aircraft.
Airlander 10 airship is going to be a complete revolution in how we use air transport.Its environmental credentials come from its greatly reduced fuel consumption and engine noise levels, in comparison to jet planes.
It can reach heights of up to 6,100 meters (16,000 feet) and stay aloft for five days, making it ideal, say its creators, for surveillance, cargo drops or even leisure excursions.
Part airship, part helicopter, part plane, the 92-meter-long Airlander 10 owes its buoyancy to 38,000 cubic meters of helium.
Airlander 10
Airlander hangs on to its helium, which is divided into several compartments. These can be manipulated to help control the aircraft but also provide fail-safes in case one is breached.
The controls are not entirely different from those of an ordinary plane but include extra switches and gauges that govern gigantic balloons pumped full of helium.
The pressure of the lighter-than-air gas helps maintain the aerodynamic shape of a hull made from carbon fiber, Kevlar and Mylar.
Altitude is altered by inflating or deflating auxiliary air bags known as “ballonets,” and by altering its speed, without forward momentum it gently glides to the ground.
The view from the flight deck is excellent because of the large windows and the airship characteristics, flying at a fairly lower altitude.
It’s also fitted with four 325 horsepower V8 diesel engines that can propel it to speeds of up to 148 kilometers per hour (91 mph) and provide vertical thrust for horizontal takeoffs.
There are security factors associated with the airships in using the inert gas helium. Once Airlander has proved its safety credentials to the relevant aviation authorities, it’ll begin flights aimed at attracting commercial clients.
If Airlander 10 proves successful, blueprints have already been drawn up for Airlander 50, a bigger, better version capable of lifting five times the cargo.
That could truly signal the rebirth of airships.
Credits:CNN News