World's Largest Aircraft, Pathfinder 1 Launched, Undergoes First Air Test

Pathfinder 1, double the length of Boeing 747-8 (photo: dock. Lta research)

JAKARTA - The world's largest aircraft, Pathfinder 1, has been announced and is currently undergoing its first series of test flights. With a length of 400 feet (121.9 meters), this giant dump is almost twice the length of the Boeing 747-8, the longest aircraft in the world today.

This Blimp uses about one million cubic feet of helium and 12 electric motors to reach vertical takeoff and speeds of up to 75 mph (120 km/hour).

Pathfinder 1, created by LTA Research, backed by Google founder Sergey Brin, is believed to be able to reduce the carbon footprint of air travel and shipping. This is the largest aircraft produced since the 800-foot (245-meter) Hindenburg tragedy that caught fire in 1937.

Although Hindenburg is filled with highly flammable hydrogen, Pathfinder 1 uses safe and non-reacted helium stored in 13 air bags.

With volatile helium prices due to scarcity, Pathfinder 1 charging can reach between 250,000 to 1 million US dollars. Each of the 13 nylon elliptical-stop bags is held by the frame of 10,000 carbon fiber rods reinforced and 3,000 titanium hubs.

LTA Research claims to use advanced lidar technology to continue to monitor the level of gas contained in balloons. The entire frame is then wrapped in synthetic material called Tedlar, which LTA Research claims is resistant to UV and fire light.

With the technology adapted from the drone, Pathfinder 1 is also believed to be very easy to fly and requires only one pilot at a time using the joystick system 'fly by wire'.

While Pathfinder 1 may one day be able to carry tons of items for hundreds of miles, it is currently limited to floating a few feet off the ground. The LTA Research team plans to undergo a series of trials to ensure the safety and reliability of Pathfinder 1.

Since being granted a special air certificate in September, Pathfinder 1 has undergone the early stages of flight tests at Moffet Field, Palo Alto Airport, and parts of San Francisco Bay.

On September 8, Pathfinder 1 made its first test flight, remaining connected to the mobile tripot and remaining above the ground around the clock. The upcoming test will allow the plane to rise to 1,500 feet and roam over the waters of San Francisco Bay.

Pathfinder 1 has been in development since 2016, and LTA Research says it is working to develop a larger plane called Pathfinder 3.

The company's goal is to have a fleet of various aircraft that can be used to transport goods or passengers, or provide emergency humanitarian assistance.

Sergey Brin, founder of Google, is also involved in funding a non-profit organization called Global Support and Development that provides emergency assistance in disasters.

The company was founded in 2015 after Brin set up a post-cyclone medical team in the South Pacific using his personal luxury yacht.