The 44m wide and 26m high airship was originally developed for the US government as a long-endurance surveillance aircraft.
The US later scrapped the programme due to defence funding cuts, prompting Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) to redesign and redevelop the craft for civilian purposes. However, in 2016, during what was supposed to be the beginning of 200 hours of test flights, the prototype aircraft crashed setting back its commercial deployment.
The Airlander 10 fleet is now set for initial operations across Spain from 2026, with production of the aircraft expected to start this year in South Yorkshire.
Air Nostrum said the project would create “thousands of skilled jobs in green aerospace technologies” as well as supporting the UK government’s levelling up agenda in the region.
The reservation agreement follows six months of rigorous studies and modelling carried out by Air Nostrum and HAV into the operation of Airlander 10 on Spanish domestic aviation...