‘Airlander World’s longest aircraft 10’ -dubbed The Flying Bum- crashes
The world’s longest aircraft dubbed the ‘Flying Bum’ was seriously damaged on Saturday after it slipped its moorings and crashed into a field.
Pictures have emerged of the 20-tonne Airlander 10’s canopy completely collapsed after the prototype plummeted to the ground.
Its manufacturers Hybrid Air Vehicles had carried out test flights on Friday before police were called to a site close to its hangars in Cardington, Bedfordshire, today.
The aircraft is now deflated and secure on the edge of the airfield. The fuel and helium inside the Airlander have been made safe
No one was on board. However, HAV said a woman member of its staff suffered minor injuries in the incident and she was taken to hospital as a ‘precaution’ before being discharged. Later the company behind Airlander 10, Hybrid Air Vehicles Limited, issued a statement saying: ‘Today there was an incident with the Airlander aircraft at Cardington airfield. ‘The aircraft was not flying at the time of the incident. Our initial assessment is that the aircraft broke free from its mooring mast for reasons that will be investigated.
‘The aircraft has a safety system which operates automatically in circumstances of the aircraft breaking free of its mast, and is designed to rip open the hull and deflate the aircraft. ‘This is a safety feature to ensure our aircraft minimises any potential damage to its surroundings in these circumstances.
‘The aircraft is now deflated and secure on the edge of the airfield. The fuel and helium inside the Airlander have been made safe.
‘A member of HAV staff sustained minor injuries and was taken to hospital for assessment as a precaution. She has since been discharged. A separate member of staff also sustained minor injuries while dealing with the aftermath of the incident.
‘A number of local roads and a local footpath were temporarily closed off by Bedfordshire Police and we apologise for any inconvenience this has caused local residents.
‘We are testing a brand new type of aircraft and incidents of this nature can occur during this phase of development. We will assess the cause of the incident and the extent of repairs needed to the aircraft in the next few weeks.’
The Airlander is affectionately known as the ‘Flying Bum’ due to its shape.