Access to the Arctic: Time to try something different

AIRLANDER - Hybrid Airship

May 2, Hyderabad, India – On 15th February 2013, the Canadian Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities published a report on Innovative Transport Technologies. The study, which took 12 months to complete, focused on “new transportation technologies that are commercially viable and that could address challenges in the Canadian transportation system”. These challenges include emissions reduction, transportation efficiency, safety, congestion in urban areas and all-season northern supply.The scope also included “game changer” technologies in the form of electric vehicles and airships.

On airships, the report noted that these have typically been used “to serve niche transportation markets such as tourism, sport viewing and advertising services”. The development of new designs, technologies and materials, as well as the investment of billions of dollars, has led to significant advances.

The technology is further developed than many may be aware of. In June 2010, the US Army commissioned a full-size hybrid air vehicle for surveillance purposes, called the Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) programme. The aircraft was designed and built over a period of two years and competed its maiden flight in August 2012. LEMV is optimised for surveillance purposes, offering a relatively small payload (1,100 kg) in exchange for large fuel tanks that enable the aircraft to stay aloft for up to 21 days. The same 92 metre long vehicle, if optimised for Heavy Lift (cargo) operations would offer a 20 metric tonne payload capacity.

In November 2011, the US Congressional Budget Office also published a report2 on the development efforts for military airships. Commenting on the performance of LEMV, it said that “If LEMV meets planned objectives, it will provide substantially greater payload-duration than do the three Predatorclass unmanned aircraft in use today: the Air Force’s Predator and Reaper and the Army’s Grey Eagle. For example, at a 500-nautical mile combat radius, the Army’s LEMV would have a payload-duration about 80 times that of the Grey Eagle”.

The company behind the LEMV vehicle design is Hybrid Air Vehicles Ltd, using their HAV304 design. Over a period of almost 30 years the team has designed, built and certified over 20 traditional airships before evolving the design into a hybrid air vehicle. “Hybrid” refers to the use of both aerodynamics and propulsion power to generate lift. It is a lot more stable on the ground and has been tested successfully in over 50 knots (90 km/h) of wind. The hybrid air vehicle also has substantially more power than traditional airships – around 10,000 horsepower – to carry large quantities of cargo and people. These are large aircraft ranging from 90 meters to 120 meters in length and accordingly offer large payload modules. For example, the cargo bay of the Lockheed Martin C-130 aircraft has a total usable volume of around 127 cubic meters3; AIRLANDER 50 has more than 550 cubic meters.

Over the last 18 months Hybrid Air Vehicles has developed the AIRLANDER 50, an aircraft that can be used for manned persistent surveillance and Heavy Lift. In Heavy Lift configuration, this aircraft can carry 50 metric tonnes. It can also be operated like a helicopter with vertical take-off, landing and hovering, carrying up to 20 metric tonne. And because it uses helium for part of its lift alongside powerful propulsion units, operating costs are lower than comparable fixed wing aircraft.

Since the detailed design phase for the AIRLANDER 50 is well advanced, Hybrid Air Vehicles has moved its focus to the needs of users and operators. Engaging with the Energy and Mining Sectors has enables us to understand their requirements in detail and deliver an aircraft that is optimised for their operations. The potential applications for AIRLANDER 50 in Canada are substantial. The aircraft can land on any reasonably flat surface including snow, ice, water or land – it requires no prepared runway and virtually no infrastructure. Connecting remote communities in a cost effective way in all four seasons suddenly becomes a reality, while potentially also supporting strategic objectives and programme such as Arctic Sovereignty, the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline, The Quebec Northern Development Programme and Arctic Watch programs.

For some, AIRLANDER 50 offers more than just a more flexible, cost-effective mode of transport. Mining companies see this as a game-changer, reducing the need for extensive access infrastructure and the extensive capital investment this represents. Assets that previously were deemed economically unviable are now being re-assessed with AIRLANDER 50 being deployed as “mobile infrastructure”. It may also impact on future asset selection, where shorter development cycles, as well as reduced capital and operating costs may result in clusters of assets being developed in cost-effective ways.

Hybrid Air Vehicles Ltd. has also been working with mines to look at replacing ice roads. Initial indications show that this can be achieved in a cost-effective way, whilst also offering benefits of year-round access and potentially a change in operating model - if partially refined ore can be flown out by AIRLANDER, the need for personnel required in remote locations may be reduced.