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World's Largest Aircraft Crashes Its Second Flight (theverge.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the flying-bum dept.

Not too long after it completed its first test flight, the Airlander 10 -- the world's largest aircraft -- has crashed its second test flight. Since the 300-foot long aircraft contains 38,000 cubic meters of helium inside its hull, the crash was all but sudden. You can see in a video posted to YouTube from witnesses on the ground that the aircraft slowly descended to the ground, nose first. The BBC has published some close-up photos of the cockpit, which sustained damages. There were no injuries in the crash, according to a tweet from Hybrid Air Vehicles. The company did also deny eyewitness reports of the aircraft being damaged in a collision with a telegraph pole.

7 of 173 comments (clear)

  1. Article Needs Tag by PPH · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Oh, the humanity!"

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    Have gnu, will travel.
  2. Aircraft? by hcs_$reboot · · Score: 5, Funny

    Call that an airship, or something, please. Even though this picture reminds me of a very flexible girlfriend of mine.

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    Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
  3. Re:38,000 cubic meters of helium? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The helium shortage is a myth! It is a lie perpetuated by Big Noble Gas to drive up prices!

    WAKE UP SHEEPLE!

  4. Telegraph (?) Pole by Mister+Transistor · · Score: 4, Funny

    Really? They flew into a telegraph pole? When were they flying it, 1937?

    Attention ladies and gentleman and all the ships at sea! The Hun is invading Europe, but airship travel is SAFE!

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    -- You are in a maze of little, twisty passages, all different... --
    1. Re:Telegraph (?) Pole by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 4, Funny

      Really? They flew into a telegraph pole? When were they flying it, 1937?

      I watched the video and distinctly heard someone say "Oh, the humanity!"

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      #DeleteChrome
    2. Re: Telegraph (?) Pole by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yes. It hit 88 mph though briefly momentarily causing a rip in time where it was damaged by a telegraph pole. Dr. Brown who led the test flight was reportedly thrilled with the outcome saying "this should be much safer than the DeLorean."

  5. I know what this means by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 4, Funny

    Ryanair is going to order fifty of them.