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World's largest aircraft the Airlander 10 is fitted with fins and engines ahead of its first flight (4)

(Mail Online)    14:16, March 22, 2016

Airlander (pictured) is the largest aircraft in the world, bigger even than the Airbus A380 - but would be dwarfed by the historic zeppelins developed in Germany during the 1930s

The first giant fin was attached to the ship, officially called the 'Airlander 10', last month (pictured) according to Hybrid Air Vehicles who is constructing the aircraft, and now the remaining fin and parts have been attached. Two fins could comfortably cover the playing area of a tennis court, explained the designers

It produces 60 per cent of its lift aerostatically, by being lighter-than-air, and 40 per cent aerodynamically, by being wing-shaped, as well as having the ability to rotate its engines to provide an additional 25 per cent of thrust up or down.

This means the Airlander can hover as well as land on almost any surface, including ice, desert and water.

It will be able to stay in the air for two weeks at a time, cruising at more than 90mph (144km/h), and travel at heights of up to 20,000ft (6,100 metres) with a 10-tonne cargo.

Some have hailed the Airlander as the future of air travel because, unlike conventional aeroplanes, it emits little pollution and is not noisy enough to disturb people on the ground.


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(Editor:Ma Xiaochun,Bianji)

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