The World’s Largest Aircraft Takes Its Maiden Flight Outside of London

A new world record was set last night when the Airlander 10 conducted its maiden flight in Cardington, England. Part airplane, part blimp, the 302-foot-long vessel—now the world’s largest aircraft by some 50 feet—took off from an airspace roughly 40 miles north of London and stayed airborne for 20 minutes. Built by the British aerodynamics firm Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), the Airlander 10 can hold 1.3 million cubic feet of helium and climb to a cruising altitude of 16,000 feet. The massive craft—which took nine years and nearly $33 million to complete—can fly for five days straight without refueling. The lengthy duration of flight is important as the Airlander 10 will be used for surveillance, communications, and humanitarian aid deliveries. The aircraft was initially set to launch on Sunday, but that test flight was canceled due to technical problems. The Wednesday launch drew a smaller press crowd, but many locals gathered around the airstrip to watch as the world’s largest aircraft took flight. HAV’s goal is to have ten Airlanders built by 2021, and for passengers to one day travel in them.