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World’s largest airship set to take off with Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson at the helm
National Post [Canada] / The Telegraph ^ | April 17, 2014 | Neil Tweedie

Posted on 04/18/2014 6:49:10 AM PDT by canuck_conservative

....“The technological problems with airships that have stopped them ruling the skies have been gradually ticked off,” says Mr. Durham, technical director of Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), which makes the Airlander.” Advances in materials, avionics and aerodynamic design mean that we have overcome the lion’s share of these obstacles. This craft is part airship, part aircraft and part hovercraft. We have taken the best aspects of each machine and combined them in one hyper-efficient vehicle. Let me tell you, this isn’t the Hindenburg.”...

A future design called Airlander 50 will lift 50 tons of cargo, five times more than a Chinook helicopter, but costing less. And while a typical military helicopter needs two days of maintenance out of every seven, the Airlander requires one day a month. The new airship is also friendly to the environment, doing the same job as a conventional aircraft on a quarter of the fuel....

The Americans pumped pounds 60 million into the business after the airship was selected as a surveillance platform, intended to loiter for weeks at a time over Afghanistan, providing constant coverage of the battlefield.

The Airlander first flew in 2012 in America, but trials ceased when the programme fell victim to the sequestration crisis on Capitol Hill and was cancelled....

The Airlander’s hull is made from super-strong fibres developed for the sails of America’s Cup yachts. A four-inch-wide strip can support a family car. “Materials technology had to come of age before you could make this kind of aircraft,” says Mr. Durham. “Vectran, which is one of the materials we use, is similar to Kevlar.”....

“In the extremely unlikely event it lost all its engines, the effect would be rather less dramatic than on a Boeing 747 — it would simply glide down to earth.”....

(Excerpt) Read more at news.nationalpost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; airlander; airlander50; airship; brucedickinson; hav; hybridairvehicles; ironmaiden; neiltweedie; passengerflight; sequestration
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To: moovova

Wind tunnel?


21 posted on 04/18/2014 7:06:06 AM PDT by Dr. Ursus
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To: Dr. Ursus

“Wind tunnel?”

I don’t know, but there’s something slightly disturbing about that view, that’s for sure.


22 posted on 04/18/2014 7:10:36 AM PDT by moovova
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To: moovova

Kim Kardashian meets her match!


23 posted on 04/18/2014 7:10:53 AM PDT by Lake Living
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To: dfwgator

I knew someone would post that.


24 posted on 04/18/2014 7:12:06 AM PDT by darkangel82
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To: Right Brother

Sir mix a lot...


25 posted on 04/18/2014 7:12:27 AM PDT by Darksheare (Try my coffee, first one's free..... Even robots will kill for it!)
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To: canuck_conservative

Up ship!


26 posted on 04/18/2014 7:14:52 AM PDT by Fiji Hill
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To: Right Brother

That is soooooooooooooooo GAY..........................


27 posted on 04/18/2014 7:18:19 AM PDT by Red Badger (Soon there will be another American Civil War. Will make the first one seem like a Tea Party........)
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To: Right Brother

LOL!


28 posted on 04/18/2014 7:20:25 AM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Obama's smidgens are coming home to roost.)
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To: Right Brother

Mooshell 1


29 posted on 04/18/2014 7:20:59 AM PDT by DariusBane (Liberty and Risk. Flip sides of the same coin. So how much risk will YOU accept? Vive Deco et Vives)
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To: Rides_A_Red_Horse

“Can it core a apple?


30 posted on 04/18/2014 7:34:43 AM PDT by onedoug
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To: Right Brother

Moochelle in yoga pants?


31 posted on 04/18/2014 7:43:35 AM PDT by wbill
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To: Dr. Ursus
Wind tunnel?

Could be, if you are talking about breaking wind.

32 posted on 04/18/2014 7:47:10 AM PDT by Lazamataz (Early 2009 to 7/21/2013 - RIP my little girl Cathy. You were the best cat ever. You will be missed.)
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To: ZirconEncrustedTweezers

I scrolled through this thread to find the best Maiden lyric reference. You win. Iron Maiden is one of the best classic metal bands, undisputed.


33 posted on 04/18/2014 7:59:04 AM PDT by lefty-lie-spy (Stay metal. For the Horde \m/("_")\m/ - via iPhone from Tokyo.)
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To: Rides_A_Red_Horse

He’s also a classic locomotive fan.


34 posted on 04/18/2014 8:00:40 AM PDT by lefty-lie-spy (Stay metal. For the Horde \m/("_")\m/ - via iPhone from Tokyo.)
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To: lefty-lie-spy

Kewl! What did I win? ;)


35 posted on 04/18/2014 8:01:46 AM PDT by ZirconEncrustedTweezers (I'm not anti-government, government's anti-me.)
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To: canuck_conservative

what could go wrong??


36 posted on 04/18/2014 8:05:38 AM PDT by Lockbar (What would Vlad The Impaler do?)
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To: Lake Living

LOL, thanks for the best laugh in days. I needed it.


37 posted on 04/18/2014 8:06:52 AM PDT by Lockbar (What would Vlad The Impaler do?)
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To: ZirconEncrustedTweezers

You win entry to the FReeper metalhead club. One of these days I’ll set that up...how many times have I said that now...


38 posted on 04/18/2014 8:11:36 AM PDT by lefty-lie-spy (Stay metal. For the Horde \m/("_")\m/ - via iPhone from Tokyo.)
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To: Right Brother

Cameltoe One, ready for liftoff.


39 posted on 04/18/2014 8:12:24 AM PDT by Kickass Conservative (Nobody owes you a living, so shut up and get back to work...)
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To: canuck_conservative

Run to the hills! Run for your lives!


40 posted on 04/18/2014 8:13:46 AM PDT by dangus
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