Hybrid Air Vehicles to build Airlander 10 production site in UK

Hybrid Air Vehicles began survey and prep work last month to construct a production site for its first aircraft to market, the Airlander 10, in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom. The Airlander 10 can carry a ten-tonne cargo payload, 100 passengers or a combination of the two, Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) stated in a release. It has been called the “world’s largest aircraft” and is 60 feet longer than an Airbus 380. [caption id="attachment_57148019" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Hybrid Air Vehicles celebrates Airlander 10’s inaugural test flight in 2019. (Courtesy/HAV)[/caption] HAV’s 123.6-acre site in Doncaster will feature flagship facilities for Airlander 10 production, testing and certification. The site will be able to produce twenty-four aircraft each year. HAV has not set an opening date for the facility, the company told Cargo Facts . Reduced emissions The Airlander 10 has a maximum range of 4,000 nautical miles and can fly at an altitude of 20,000 feet. The aircraft’s inflatable hull carries helium, which accounts for 60% of the its lift. It has four combustion engines, which HAV said will deliver up to a 75% reduction in emissions compared with similar aircraft. HAV plans to introduce electric power in 2028, aiming to deliver a hybrid-electric Airlander 10 with two electric motors. This will provide a 90% reduction in emissions, according to the company. By 2030, all four of the Airlander 10’s engines will be electric, thereby producing zero emissions, according to the release. The company has submitted its application to begin the type certification process for the Airlander 10 with the U.K.’s Civil Aviation Authority, HAV said. Sustainable aviation growth The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority approved a loan of 7 million pounds ($8.7 million) for HAV. In anticipation of completion of the production site, HAV has opened an office in Doncaster. South Yorkshire aims “to be a world leader in sustainable aviation ” and is working to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA), which closed in 2022, South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard said in the HAV release. The Airlander 10’s impact will be felt beyond South Yorkshire, as HAV has already secured clients across Europe: Air Nostrum Group, which includes Hibernian Airlines in Ireland and Mel Air in Malta, has reserved twenty Airlander 10s; French ecotourism company Grands Espaces has reserved ten aircraft; and The Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS) in Scotland has reserved early production slots for six aircraft. HAV and HITRANS agreed to develop a business case for the operation of Airlander 10s in the region for freight and passenger services. Air Nostrum has also joined the Airlander 50 Development Partner Programme, becoming the first commercial airline partner in that project, according to HAV. The Airlander 50 will accommodate a 50-tonne payload. Editor’s note: All amounts have been converted to U.S. dollars. Register now for Cargo Facts' essential regional events for industry stakeholders: Cargo Facts LATAM 2025 on Feb. 10-11 at the Pullman Sao Paulo Guarulhos Airport in Brazil; Cargo Facts Asia 2025 on March 24-26 at the W Shanghai in China; and Cargo Facts EMEA 2025 on May 6-8 at the Shangri-La Bosphorus in Turkey. Also register here for Cargo Facts' free webinar, “ ACMI, CMI and Charter in 2025: Challenges and Opportunities ," taking place on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 11:00 a.m. ET (UTC -5).

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