Hybrid Air Vehicles
- For the PSA Peugeot Citroën petro-hydraulic "hybrid air" engine see PSA Peugeot Citroën#Hybrid Air
 |
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| Private Limited Company (Ltd) | |
| Industry | Aviation |
| Predecessor | SkyCat Group Ltd |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Founder | Roger Munk |
| Headquarters | RAF Cardington, United Kingdom |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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Philip Gwyn (Chairman) Stephen McGlennan (Chief Executive) |
| Products | Airlander 10 |
| Website | www |
Hybrid Air Vehicles Ltd. is a British manufacturer of aircraft known as hybrid airships. These hybrids use both aerodynamics and lighter-than-air (LTA) technology to generate lift, potentially allowing the vehicle to stay aloft for several weeks.[1]
The company developed the HAV 3 technology demonstrator. This won it the US Army LEMV contract, in association with Northrop Grumman as the prime contractor, and led to the HAV 304. Following termination of the LEMV project, the HAV 304 was rebuilt as the Airlander 10. It is the largest aircraft flying today.
Contents
History
Origins
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HAV is the latest in a line of companies to acquire and develop airship technologies in the UK. Aerospace Developments was formed in 1971 and since then its assets have passed through successive companies, in 1979 to Airship Developments, in 1980 to Airship Industries, in 1990 to Westinghouse Airships, in 1996 to Airship Technologies, then successively to Advanced Technologies Group (ATG) and SkyCat group, which folded in 2007.
During this period a number of airships and hybrids were built.
Multi-hull airships
Hybrid Air Vehicles was formed in 2007 by Roger Munk.[2]
. It acquired the assets of the SkyCat group and established itself at Cardington Airfield, Bedfordshire, UK.
The company developed the HAV 3 technology demonstrator. In partnership with Northrop Grumman (NGC) as prime contractor, in 2009 it won a US$500 million US Army contract to develop a Long Endurance Multi-intelligence Vehicle (LEMV), which was delivered between 2009 and early 2013. Hybrid Air Vehicles designed, developed and manufactured the aircraft, with NGC acting as the prime contractor and sensor system integrator.[3] This aircraft was designated the HAV 304. On August 7 2012 a successful 90-minute test flight took place in Lakehurst, New Jersey.[4] The LEMV project was cancelled In February 2013.[5]
Hybrid Air Vehicles took the opportunity to buy back the envelope and associated materials, which they returned to the UK for rebuilding as the Airlander 10.[6][7] In 2014 it was unveiled in Cardington. It is reported as the world's largest aircraft.[7][8]
One investor, Bruce Dickinson (better known as a member of the rock group Iron Maiden), has announced plans to fly twice around the world nonstop.[9]
Aircraft
HAV-3
The HAV-3 craft was a 50 feet (15 m) long remote-controlled scale demonstrator based on the SkyCat concept.[10]
Registered as G-OHAV (company serial HAV-3/001) it was built in 2008.[11] Its first flight was in September 2008 at RAF Cardington.[12]
It was retired in 2010 following receipt of the LEMV contract.[13]
HAV-304 LEMV
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The HAV 304 was developed for the US military LEMV project.
Airlander 10
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Following cancellation of the LEMV project, HAV bought back the HAV 304, returned it to the UK and refurbished it as the civilian Airlander 10.
Airlander 50
The Airlander 50 is a proposed larger transport craft with a 50 tonne payload.[14][15]
References
- ↑ The new vehicle set to revolutionise the skies, BBC, 4 January 2011
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- ↑ "Huge new airships for US Army: designed in Blighty"
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- ↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/7918762/Airships-a-second-age.html
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- ↑ Gabriel Alexander Khoury (editor) Airship Technology, Cambridge University Press 2012, ISBN 978-1-107-01970-6 (p. 471)
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External links
- Company Home Page
- Gary Elliott Interview
- US Congress Budget Office Report on Military Airship programmes outlining plans
