PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - AirLander take off then 2nd Flight Mishap
Old 31st Aug 2016, 02:26
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G0ULI
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
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Unlike a heavier than air aircraft, Airlander 10 can presumably be stood on its nose or tail if mismanaged, with gravity tugging downwards on everything attached to the envelope. Must make for an interesting engineering problem where every component must be braced and stressed for gravitational pull in all directions. It also suggests that all loose objects will need to be secured firmly before and during flight, just in case.

Passengers might not be to happy driving towards the ground at a very steep nose down angle, even if it is in slow motion.

As this incident has demonstrated, the craft may be lighter than air, but the is still all the inertia of mass when it comes to making a sudden stop against a solid object. I can't help feeling that an inflatable airbag towards the front of the cockpit would have allowed a more gradual deceleration and prevented any damage at all. Something similar to a large car air bag might do the trick but staying inflated for much longer. That wouldn't upset the aerodynamics and need not inflict too much of a weight penalty. Big red panic button on the pilot's panel to deploy the airbag when necessary.
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