Our skilled team is in the midst of an unprecedented flight test program for Pathfinder 1 - the world’s largest flying vehicle and first-of-its-kind, rigid-body electric airship. This is a groundbreaking endeavor and we are meticulously planning and executing each test phase, leveraging our collective expertise and experience to navigate this uncharted territory safely and responsibly. In recent months, our team has conducted a series of ground tests inside Hangar 2 at Moffett Field. During this period, we carefully examined Pathfinder 1’s structural integrity, systems functionality, and overall performance under various simulated conditions. Simultaneously, our ground crew performed maneuvering exercises to ensure smooth and safe handling. In the coming weeks and months, we will continue conducting tests indoors and outdoors. Throughout the flight testing phase, the airship is subjected to a range of maneuvers and scenarios that gradually push its capabilities. Experienced airship pilots, accompanied by flight test engineers, systematically explore the airship’s handling characteristics in various conditions and at different altitudes. These tests start as low as 10 feet off the ground, and incrementally increase in altitude and distance over time. Each flight is carefully monitored, and data is collected and analyzed to identify any potential issues or areas for improvement. As a proof-of-concept vehicle, Pathfinder 1’s only passengers will be members of the flight test team. The information our team will get from Pathfinder 1 will inform the future of our airships and bring us one step closer to our goal of complementing humanitarian aid efforts and reducing the carbon emissions in transportation. Stay tuned for updates as we make history with every flight!
Dr. Csaba Singer
1mo
Amazing! 👌 If you want to inspect the outer shell easily, please simply let us know 🖖
Henry Thoor
1mo
What is the final target ? Transportation of passengers or heavy loads transportation ? What is the final payload ?
Charles Luffman
1mo
So what's unusual or new about this? The pics don't show it aloft without restraint, which would be news.
Joe Rozsa
1mo
The old air dock is looking fantastic! I used to deliver mail there when I worked for Goodyear back in the day.
Jerry McClain
1mo
An amazing program. Following along….
Matt Bille
1mo
Good luck! How do avoid the shear stress on the full size airships? (by that I mean the old problem with Navy dirigibles where the bow could be caught in an updraft, the stern in a different regime, and the resulting stress effectively breaking the ship in half.)
Wishing you only the greatest success.
peter pennie
4w
I wonder how many ship containers of supplies it will carry?
Owner, Nauticaspace
1moTHE FAA HAS APPROVED PATHFINDER 1's FLIGHT TESTS "The Pathfinder 1 prototype received a special airworthiness certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in early September [2023], as reported by IEEE Spectrum. The certificate permits LTA to fly the helium-filled aircraft at an altitude of up to 1,500 feet in the airspace at Moffett Field and the neighboring Palo Alto Airport." RACHEL CORMACK, Google Founder Sergey Brin’s Bonkers 400-Foot Airship Has Been Cleared to Hit the Skies, Robb Report, OCTOBER 27, 2023 https://robbreport.com/motors/aviation/lta-pathfinder-1-airship-faa-certification-fly-1235388372/