City of Doncaster Council agree terms on flagship production site for Airlander 10

Hybrid Air Vehicles to open flagship production site for Airlander 10 in Doncaster

City of Doncaster Council and Hybrid Air Vehicles Ltd reach agreement for major new Airlander 10 production centre at Carcroft Common site, for production, testing and certification operations.

Hybrid Air Vehicles’ plans for Doncaster will create a £1bn+ per annum export business, over 1,200 high-value green jobs and new supply chains within the South Yorkshire Investment Zone.

Announcement builds on a previous agreement with SYMCA, underpinned by a £7m investment by the region.

The City of Doncaster Council and Hybrid Air Vehicles Ltd, the UK-based leader in sustainable aircraft technology, have agreed to locate the production programme for Airlander 10, the world’s most efficient large aircraft, at Carcroft Common. 

Carcroft Common is a 50-hectare site identified by the City of Doncaster Council for development to unlock new economic growth. The freehold for the site will be acquired by Hybrid Air Vehicles under the terms of the agreement.

Hybrid Air Vehicles will now initiate activities leading towards a planning application, working with the local community and other stakeholders as part of the planning and preparation process. 

Subject to planning approval, Hybrid Air Vehicles will develop new flagship facilities for Airlander 10’s production, testing, and certification operations, capable of producing up to 24 aircraft per year at the site. It will house cutting-edge aerospace production equipment, such as new assembly lines for Airlander’s composite-based airframe, propulsion systems, and electrical and avionics systems.

Airlander 10 is a new type of ultra-low emissions aircraft capable of carrying 100 passengers, or ten tonnes of payload. The reserved orderbook for Airlander 10 stands in excess of £1bn, with the first aircraft set to enter service from 2028 with the likes of Air Nostrum Group, the launch airline customer.

In partnership with the City of Doncaster Council, Hybrid Air Vehicles will establish Carcroft Common as a hub for advanced manufacturing and sustainable aviation in South Yorkshire, creating over 1,200 new jobs and thriving supply chains. Hybrid Air Vehicles will also work closely with important regional partners like the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, and the Doncaster UTC. 

The announcement marks important progress toward the City of Doncaster’s Economic Strategy 2030, and the success of the South Yorkshire Investment Zone, which is focused on advanced manufacturing. The Carcroft Common site is part of the Investment Zone, launched by the Chancellor of Exchequer in July 2023, which aims to improve investment through planning, development, and skills support. 

It is not all hot air for Air Nostrum's future fleet....

Photo Hybrid Air Vehicles

Air Nostrum, the Spanish regional airline has placed an order for 10 Airlander 10 airships scheduled to operate from the carriers Valencia base from 2026.

Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) is one of the leading manufacturers of sustainable aircraft technologies are providing 100-seat airships that are expected to operate alongside the carrier's fleet of regular aircraft, yet only produce around a tenth of the harmful emissions.

HAV plans to launch production of the aircraft in South Yorkshire UK, this year, creating thousands of skilled jobs in green aerospace technologies and supporting levelling up across the region.

Photo Hybrid Air Vehicles

Carlos Bertomeu, President, Air Nostrum, said:  "We are exploring each and every possible way to reduce our carbon footprint. This is something that we have been doing for many years. The Airlander 10 will drastically reduce emissions and for that reason we have made this agreement with HAV. Sustainability, which is good news for everyone, is already a non-negotiable fact in the daily operations of commercial aviation. Agreements such as these are a very effective way to reach the de-carbonization targets contemplated in the Fit for 55 legislative initiative."

Kwasi Kwarteng, UK's Business Secretary said: "Hybrid aircraft could play an important role as we transition to cleaner forms of aviation, and it is wonderful to see the UK right at the forefront of the technology’s development. This agreement enhances the possibility of the revolutionary, British-made and designed, Airlander 10 aircraft flying across Spanish skies. It is more proof of how the UK’s businesses are embracing new technology to drive growth and support high skilled UK jobs."

Photo Hybrid Air Vehicles

Photo Hybrid Air Vehicles

Photo Hybrid Air Vehicles

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AECOM and Hybrid Air Vehicles sign MOU to develop infrastructure for zero carbon aviation

The new partnership will help drive sustainable transportation innovation and have a transformative impact on the communications, mobility, freight and tourism sectors

AECOM, the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, today announced it has partnered with Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) to provide infrastructure services for its pioneering hybrid aircraft, Airlander. The partnership will draw on AECOM’s consulting and advisory services for cost and carbon benchmarking, sustainability development, master planning, construction program management and scheme delivery. This work will include advice on hydrogen supply infrastructure and transit interchange design.

“We are excited to work with Hybrid Air Vehicles to develop infrastructure which will enable the transition to net-zero aviation. Through our Sustainable Legacies strategy, AECOM is committed to ambitious environmental, social and governance targets. In practice this means advising and enabling our clients to realize and implement innovative technology which will cut carbon emissions,” said Colin Wood, AECOM’s chief executive of Europe and India. “Just a few months ago, speakers at COP26 called on the industry to develop the solutions so desperately needed to limit global warming. Whilst there is no room for complacency, I’m proud of the work AECOM is doing to tackle this challenge head-on by taking bold steps to advance new and emerging sectors which will help us achieve net-zero.”

“The relationship between AECOM and Hybrid Air Vehicles is centred in our shared commitment to delivering net-zero,” said Tom Grundy, Hybrid Air Vehicles’ chief executive officer. “This partnership matches AECOM’s world-leading experience and vision for the future of infrastructure with our ambition to deliver decarbonised air services through the game-changing Airlander aircraft. We urgently need to reduce emissions in aviation, so we will work with AECOM and Airlander operators to make zero-emission flight for 100 passengers or ten tons of cargo a reality within the decade.”

The partnership sees AECOM and Hybrid Air Vehicles sign a memorandum of understanding which sets out the basis and scope of a long-term infrastructure partnership. AECOM will provide end-to-end infrastructure partner services to facilitate the operation of the aircraft, which will deliver 90% fewer emissions than other aircraft when it enters service in 2026 and will run entirely on hydrogen by 2030 through fuel cell technology. HAV and AECOM will work together with HAV’s customers to develop the infrastructure to operate Airlander, including preparing for hydrogen on-site for the hybrid-electric and all-electric Airlander 10 aircraft. In addition, AECOM will work with HAV to develop the Airlander 10 manufacturing facility. Additional joint work on the larger Airlander 50 and other projects is expected.

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