New Gen AirShips - Hybrid Air Vehicles, UK
Perhaps a first in being solar powered
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Only occasionally above FL50
Age: 71
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Stratsat had electric motors and a back up diesel. The new idea seems to be propulsion by climbing and gliding by varying buoyancy. How capable of handling strong winds this would be I would question. I can see that diurnal temperature changes could provide the main power source for propulsion during long flights but I can’t see high speeds being achieved like this.
At what levels do they think that thing would operate - and what would be the extent of its vertical meanderings? Would they be predictable?
Alternatively!
Or here is a revolutionary thought! Rather use the power used for the air pumps to drive a propellor fitted on the nose. Steady state speed, so should be more efficient.
There is a whiff of “something for nothing” about this proposal. For example, air is being pumped ‘in’ when outside pressure is at its lowest and ‘out’ when at its highest.
There is a whiff of “something for nothing” about this proposal. For example, air is being pumped ‘in’ when outside pressure is at its lowest and ‘out’ when at its highest.
Uses a similar principle to submarine autonomous 'gliders'
Weirdly a decade or so ago I met a couple of bods who were thinking of pitching a similar concept to MoD and DARPA, albeit with a few notable differences. As far as I know neither are involved in this company.
Weirdly a decade or so ago I met a couple of bods who were thinking of pitching a similar concept to MoD and DARPA, albeit with a few notable differences. As far as I know neither are involved in this company.
French Stratospheric Requirement
Bon chance 
as 🇫🇷 is looking for the very same thing...
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/fran...nce-and-recon/
So wonder if HAV draughtsmen be beavering away 🤔🤔 Slightly digressing me and couple of mates went for walkies around Cardington back in October ...
cheers
as 🇫🇷 is looking for the very same thing...https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/fran...nce-and-recon/
So wonder if HAV draughtsmen be beavering away 🤔🤔 Slightly digressing me and couple of mates went for walkies around Cardington back in October ...
cheers
FWIW this latest does suggest that they have been working away at their design and are trying to fill 4 production slots. All their leads seem to be related to luxury tourism/experiences.
https://www.hybridairvehicles.com/ne...hape-revealed/
https://www.hybridairvehicles.com/ne...hape-revealed/
How much longer do they want to milk investors?
Trying to fill 4 production slots? They haven't even chosen a factory site yet!
You can't keep a good company down... 
‘Revolutionary’ fleet of airships to be built in Yorkshire
(article in this evening's issue of The Times)
Brief snip -
Airlander tries again!
‘Revolutionary’ fleet of airships to be built in Yorkshire
(article in this evening's issue of The Times)
Brief snip -
Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), a British aircraft manufacturer based in Bedford, said that it had signed a contract to supply a Spanish airline with a fleet of its 10 Airlander airships.
Chorizo Internacional?
Oh God!
Every 10-20 years airships pop up again - and then die another lingering death..............
Every 10-20 years airships pop up again - and then die another lingering death..............
This is brilliant news! Let's just hope that it's 10 confirmed orders and not 1 confirmed and nine options...
Government and military contract(s) next?
Beags said "At what levels do they think that thing would operate - and what would be the extent of its vertical meanderings? Would they be predictable?"
I don't know - but my experience suggests from 100ft to 5,000ft on a tourist cruise in a planned flight. Perhaps 100ft over sea, doing Dolphin watch or similar, and 5,000ft over land doing some scenery or even just transiting. The early Flight Tests demo'd how finely steerable they are and they could possibly be GPS stabilised too. Due to hull pressures I would expect forward speed is likely to be limited to approx 80kts.
I fully expect to be corrected if I'm well off with those expectations - so fill yer boots.
Government and military contract(s) next?
Beags said "At what levels do they think that thing would operate - and what would be the extent of its vertical meanderings? Would they be predictable?"
I don't know - but my experience suggests from 100ft to 5,000ft on a tourist cruise in a planned flight. Perhaps 100ft over sea, doing Dolphin watch or similar, and 5,000ft over land doing some scenery or even just transiting. The early Flight Tests demo'd how finely steerable they are and they could possibly be GPS stabilised too. Due to hull pressures I would expect forward speed is likely to be limited to approx 80kts.
I fully expect to be corrected if I'm well off with those expectations - so fill yer boots.
Last edited by Rigga; 18th Jun 2022 at 14:15.
whats that big metal bit sticking out of the bottom???