A Bedford-based company building the Airlander 10, a very large hybrid airship-aeroplane that can carry people or cargo with far lower emissions.
Hybrid Air Vehicles, usually called HAV, designs and builds the Airlander 10, which it describes as the world's most efficient large aircraft. Airlander combines a large helium-filled hull with wing-like shape, so around 40 per cent of its lift comes from the air flowing over it and the rest from helium. It can carry about 100 passengers or ten tonnes of freight, and the company says it can take off and land on grass, tarmac and water. HAV claims emissions up to 90 per cent lower than similar aircraft.
HAV's stated aim is to "Rethink the Skies". In a 2023 announcement it said it is committed to a sustainable future and to a positive impact on the people around it. Chief executive Tom Grundy, a former BAE Systems engineer, has said he wants people to know the excitement of an aerospace career and that STEM education matters because it builds important life skills.
The company was founded in 2007 and is based in Bedford, where its design office is, and the Airlander flew from Cardington near Bedford. HAV plans to build the aircraft at a 50-hectare site at Carcroft Common near Doncaster in South Yorkshire, backed by a regional loan and partners including the University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and Doncaster UTC. Reports say the Doncaster plan could create more than 1,200 skilled jobs. Spanish airline Air Nostrum is the launch customer. The latest evidence we read is from January 2025, so check the company website for its current status.
In November 2023 the CEO described the team as just under 70 people, with growth expected. A 2017 article quoted apprentices who said they gained hands-on experience, and that the company paid for their education; one even described working inside the Airlander's hull. Head of Production Stuart Farrell was pleased to see young people coming into the business. These quotes are the company's and its staff's own views and are several years old, so treat them as a guide to the culture and not a current description.
Early careers routes are the best documented here. In 2017, as at that year, HAV had two Level 3 engineering apprentices and one Level 3 business administration apprentice, studying with Bedford College, and it said many of its engineers began as apprentices. It also runs school outreach and joined the Schools Aerospace Careers Programme in November 2023. We did not find a current graduate scheme or live apprenticeship adverts, so check HAV's careers page.
Website: hybridairvehicles.com
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