Keywords
Citation
(2000), "Airship world record", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 72 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2000.12772bab.034
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2000, MCB UP Limited
Airship world record
Airship world record
Keywords: Lightship Group, Airships, High speed
Pilots from The Lightship Group have smashed the world airship speed record in a dramatic flight over Halfpenny Green Airport in the Midlands.
Mike Kendrick and Jim Dexter broke the existing record of 77.50km per hour, set in 1990 in the USA by Paul Woessner and Coy Foster, by reaching a speed of 94.7km (58mph) over a 1km course at the Bobbington airfield.
Mike is the chief executive officer of The Lightship Group (the world's largest operator of airships) and Virgin Airship and Balloon Company and Jim is TLG's director of flight standards.
Christian Brown, head of PR for TLG, said:
This is a staggering achievement - it has taken months of preparation and considerable skill to make this new world record possible. We're thrilled that these two men have been able to secure this amazing record for the UK.
The record-breaking flight was timed by regulators from the Fe¨de¨ration Ae¨ronautique. Six further airship speed records were also attained, so the TLG duo now hold records classified by the Fe¨de¨ration Ae¨ronautique as BA-04, BA-05, BA-06, BA-07, BA-08, BA09 and BA-10 (further information on the records can be obtained from the Fe¨de¨ration Ae¨ronautique Web site at www.fai.org/ballooning/records/data