Skyship 600
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Skyship 600 is a modern airship, originally designed by British company Airship Industries, and now owned and operated by Airship Management Services and Skycruise Switzerland AG. The first Skyship 600 made its maiden flight in November 1984. Similar in appearance to the Skyship 500, it is larger, being the world's largest currently operating non-rigid airship (also called blimps). The envelope is made of Kevlar and the gondola of composite materials. Earlier models were propelled by two Porsche 930 turboshafts, but some have been modified with Textron Lycoming IO-540 engines. One important feature of this series is thrust-vector control. The encased propellers can be swivelled altogether around, providing excellent maneuverability.
Each airship has been tailor-made to meet the needs of different customers and this results in slight variations in size, performance and cabin configuration.
Airship Industries collapsed in 1990, and its assets were taken over by Westinghouse. The type certificates for the Skyship 500 and 600 series are now held by US company Global Skyship Industries which was acquired by Airship Management Services in 2002.
Most Skyship 600s have been used for advertising purposes, like the Spirit of Dubai. In December 2007, a Skyship 600 was leased by supporters of U.S. presidential candidate Ron Paul to fly with the banner "Who is Ron Paul? Google Ron Paul". Others have been used for surveillance purposes, including during the 2004 Summer Olympics. The Skyship's sister ship the Skyship 500 registered G-BIHN was used by the character Max Zorin in the James Bond film A View to a Kill.
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[edit] How it works
"Skyships are equipped with a pair of ballonets, one forward and one aft. These ballonets are air-filled compartments within an airship that compensate for the expansion and contraction of the helium, thereby maintaining a required envelope pressure. They can be filled, or partially filled, with air. Emptying of air is done through four valves under the envelope. The valves open automatically as the ship climbs, releasing air and allowing the ballonets to collapse and the helium to expand. On descent, internal trunking allows air to be driven in from the propeller ducts, and / or electric fans, and thus avoid collapse of the envelope. The ballonets can be independently filled by using shut-off dampers in the air supply trunking. One important by-product of ballonet operation is that through differential inflation a measure of pitch trim can be obtained, in much the same way as a submarine uses its water ballast for buoyancy trim."[1]
[edit] Specifications
- 'Length: 66 metres / 216 ft 5 in
- Height: 22 metres /72 ft 2 in
- Volume: 7,600m³[citation needed]
- Cruising speed: 40 mph(64 km/h)
- Maximum speed: 65 mph(105 km/h)
- Weight: 5,500 kg when deflated
- Passenger Capacity: Up to twelve plus the Captain and Co-Pilot
- Service ceiling: 7,000 feet
- Maximum Range: 400 miles
- Powerplant: 2×Porsche 930 engines(255 hp each), Turbo Charged or: 2×Textron Lycoming IO-540(300 hp each)
- Lavatory onboard
[edit] External links
- http://www.airship.flyer.co.uk/skyship600.htm
- http://www.blimp-n2a.com/ams.htm
- http://www.airshipoperations.com/
- Airship Management Services, Inc.
- Skycruiser Group
- Airship Cruises
- Skycruise Switzerland AG.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Rimell, R.L.: Skyship! Renaissance of the British Airship Industry, Re-printed in 2005 by Airship Management Services, Inc.
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