Huge 555-Foot Long Airship To Take To The Skies Once Again
Lighter-than-air flight could be coming back into fashion
A huge 555-foot airship could be seen above our skies again, as companies vie to bring back the age of lighter-than-air flight.
The Dragon Dream, by Aeroscraft, is filled with helium - rather than the explosive hydrogen which led to the Hindenburg disaster, and the end of lighter-than-air flight.
It won’t be a passenger aircraft, though - it will carry up to 66 tonnes cargo, and be able to land at airports without runways.
Aeroscraft has now reached a final design, and is to build a working model.
Airships fell out of favour after the German passenger airship Hindenburg exploded in 1937 with the loss of 35 lives.
The image of the burning airship became iconic - and the previously popular mode of transport fell out of favour.
The Pelican has a 'skin' of carbon fibre and aluminium and uses helium instead of explosive hydrogen.
The craft can adjust its buoyancy by compressing the helium inside it, becoming heavier.