The total volume of the empennage is about 1130m³. The empennage is for steering and has four tail fins in a cross shape. Integrated on the keel are the four-engine pylons, inferior lateral empennage, load frame, control and navigation centre, crew cabins, cruising and manoeuvring engines, fuel, hydraulic and electrical systems. The material is lighter, more stretchable and durable and less inflammable than previously available materials. The envelope is constructed of highly leak-proof multi-layer membranes which minimise the loss of helium. It will be filled with 450,000m³ of helium. The airship gains lift through the use of helium gas and therefore only requires energy for forward propulsion. The Cargolifter CL 160 is a semi-rigid or keeled airship in which the envelope is not stretched over a rigid structure but has a keel which is attached to the bottom of the envelope and distributes the weight of the payload along the length of the envelope. In February 2002, the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) was completed, confirming the technical feasibility of the project, leading to the next stage in its development, the Detailed Design phase.Ĭargolifter AG won a contract to provide heavy lifting services for the Pittsburgh maglev (magnetic levitation) public transportation system. General Electric will supply the propulsion engines and Eaton Corporation the hydraulics. BAE Systems Controls of the USA will develop the airship’s avionics and flight control systems. A small scale (1:8) experimental airship known as ‘Joey’ was already built and had its maiden flight in October 1999.Ĭontraves Space AG of Switzerland is to develop the fibre-composite nose cone. The development took place at the dock in Briesen-Brand near Berlin, where the production hangar (360m long, 210m wide and 107m high) is the world’s largest free-standing hangar. The CL 160 could also be used in transporting humanitarian and emergency aid – one CL 160 could transport food for 25,750 people for 14 days in a relief programme. Described as a ‘flying crane’, the CL 160 will be able to carry payloads weighing up to 160 metric tons, with a volume of up to 3,200 cubic metres, to a range of up to 10,000 km, without the need for airfields or extensive road systems. Heavy loads, for example, large turbine casings, can be carried directly from the factory to their intended operation location, without the airship touching the ground and almost independently of local infrastructure. In August 2002, work on Cargolifter’s other major programme, the CL 75 lifting balloon was also halted. In June 2002, the company made an application for insolvency. In May 2002, the CL 160 development was halted due to financial problems and the status of the programme is uncertain. The CargoLifter CL 160 is a semi-rigid airship under development by CargoLifter AG, a German company that plans to build airships capable of carrying enormous loads for the bulk air freight market. The vast scale of CargoLifter's hangar base is shown here relative to the Statue of Liberty. The CargoLifter CL 160 derives its name from its designed payload capacity of 160t.ĬargoLifter AG have constructed a headquarters hangar capable of housing their CL 160 fleet at a site located on the former military airfield of Brand, 60km south of Berlin. The CL 160 is able to lift very heavy awkward loads, and deliver them to difficult locations, such as mountainous or jungle terrain where traditional logistics would struggle. The CargoLifter AG CL 160 super-heavy lift cargo airship was designed to transport very heavy objects more economically, being able to deliver its payload directly to the desired 'drop off' point.

Cargolifter halle in brandenburg