The world’s largest plane at present, The Airlander 10, is a slow-moving beast, at least while crash landing. The plane made its first flight successfully last week, but its second attempt, on Wednesday, ended with a slow nose dive. The incident took place as the plane was landing after being airborne for the planned 100 minutes. The video above shows the crash – not at all an alarming one – in Bedfordshire in central England.
The plane was already an object of some ridicule for its floating butt like appearance, and now may also hold the dubious honour of the world’s slowest crash.
BBC reported a statement from its British manufacturer Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) – “The Airlander experienced a heavy landing and the front of the flight deck has sustained some damage which is currently being assessed.” Stephen McGlennan, Chief Executive of HAV, said the pilots escaped “without a scratch”.
The company initially denied the BBC report, which quoted an eyewitness account to the effect that the airship had hit a telegraph pole. but in a statement issued on Thursday, HAV admitted that “a mooring line attached to the Airlander did contact a power line outside the airfield...”
Part plane, part airship, and built at a cost of £25 million, the Airlander 10 can supposedly stay in the air for up to five days when manned, and for over two weeks unmanned. It is fitted wth four engines, and carries 38,000 cubic metres of helium in its hull which is made of ultralight carbon fibre. This structure, according to HAV's official website, provides 40 percent of the plane's lift.
The airship can reach a maximum speed of 148 km per hour and is capable of taking off and landing vertically. This means it doesn't need a runway or even a tarmac, and can take off and land in large fields, deserts, ice and even water. According to details on the HAV website “Profiled pneumatic tubes / skids on the underside of the two outer hulls provide for multi-surface ground operation including amphibious capability. On the production version skids are ‘sucked-in’ for a clean-in-flight profile.”
The plane was initially funded by the US military and was supposed to work as a surveillance aircraft. The US army eventually withdrew owing to budget cuts, and the development was completed with funding from the European Union and the UK government, besides other sponsors.
The video below shows the plane’s maiden flight:
In the clip below, you can see the Airlander 10 in flight.
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