New photos of the world’s largest aircraft, aka ‘the flying bum’, have been released ahead of its official unveiling.
They show the Airlander 10 – part plane, part airship and part helicopter – in all its 302ft (92m) long glory in a First World War aircraft hangar in Bedfordshire, where it will be launched tomorrow.
The aircraft, which earned its nickname because it apparently resembles a bottom, is around 50ft (15m) longer than the biggest passenger jets and is 143ft (44m) wide and 85ft (26m) high.
It’s 85ft (26m) high (Picture: PA)
It’s 302ft (92m) long (Picture: PA)
Chris Daniels, British firm Hybrid Air Vehicles’ (HAV) head of partnerships, said: ‘This is a fantastic story of British innovation, getting a unique aircraft fully assembled to do something both useful and commercially viable.
‘We are ready to show the world the potential it can achieve in monitoring, search and rescue, cargo, aid distribution and even passenger roles.’
The company designed the Airlander 10 to stay airborne for up to three weeks.
The huge aircraft can be used for a variety of functions including surveillance, communications, delivering aid and even passenger travel.
It uses helium to become airborne and can travel at a speed of 92mph (148km/h).
It’s officially revealed tomorrow (Picture: PA)
It runs on helium (Picture: PA)
Dutch flag carrier KLM, part of the Air France-KLM Group, has welcomed its first Airbus A350-900, marking a significant step in the airline’s long-haul fleet modernization strategy. The arrival...
The International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA) has released its 2026-2027 Current Market Portrait & Forecast, offering an in-depth analysis of the global preowned business av...
UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters operated by Helicopter Alliance played a vital role in combating wildfires across Central and Southern Europe during the aerial firefighting season that has now concluded....
Tecnam introduces the P2008JC NG to the United States market, bringing flight schools a certified, next-generation training aircraft designed to dramatically reduce operating costs while maximizing fl...