And the initial cost projections for producing the CL 160 have jumped from 80 million euro (about $68 million) to 590 million euro (about $502 million). The CL 160’s viability has been called into question by the German press, as the dates of the first flights have been pushed back. The project has seen its share of setbacks. Now being tested, the unmanned CL 75 “AirCrane” can tote up to 75 tons, the company says. The airship need not land to unload its cargo, which is why it is sometimes referred to as a “flying crane.” The payload can be discharged while the CargoLifter hovers at 300 feet. When the CargoLifter reaches its destination, ground cables are connected and water is pumped into the CL 160 to hold it in place if a cable breaks. Another four CT-7 engines maneuver the airship. Once aloft, the airship can reach a maximum altitude of 6,000 feet, propelled by four 1,900-horsepower General Electric CT-7 helicopter engines. The weight of the payload is distributed along the keel.Ĭoming out of the hangar, the CL 160 attaches to a mobile mast that is pulled along by a rail car. And unlike a blimp, the CargoLifter has a keel, which runs along the underside of the helium-filled envelope. Zeppelins have rigid skeletons, while the CargoLifter holds its shape from internal pressure of the helium. Edwards notes that the CargoLifter CL 160 isn’t really a zeppelin, but a semi-rigid airship.

Cargolifter heute