Jumbo airship nose-dives on test flight
IT WAS down to earth with a bump yesterday as the world’s biggest aircraft nose-dived on its second test flight.
The £25million Airlander 10 – part plane and part airship – crashed after a 100-minute flight from its base.
Nicknamed the “Flying Bum” because of its curvy shape, it was hailed just a month ago as the future of aviation.
Footage shows the 302ft long aircraft travelling slowly at low altitude before tipping forward and hitting the field, with its cockpit appearing to take the brunt of the impact.
A witness at Cardington airfield, near Bedford, said: “That’s it, it’s not going up again.”
As repairs began, Airlander’s developers, Hybrid Air Vehicles, denied it had hit a telegraph pole. A spokesman said: “The Airlander experienced a heavy landing and the front of the flight deck has sustained some damage which is being assessed.
“Both pilots and the ground crew are safe and well and the aircraft is secured and stable at its normal mooring location.”
The company said it would investigate and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch will also probe the incident.
The craft is 50ft longer than the largest passenger jet and cruises at 92mph at 16,000ft. It can stay airborne for up to five days and holds enough helium to fill 15 Olympic swimming pools.
Developed in the US for surveillance, it can also be used for communications and passenger travel.