A low-volume two-seat airship Au 12m with a volume of
1250 cu. m may be applied for visual and instrumental monitoring of gas and
oil pipelines, surveillance of roads and urban territories on behalf of
emergency services, police, environmental protection services etc,
advertising, high quality aerial photography, video and TV filming for
advertising, television and cartography, rescue operations.
14.10.2004Au-12
Airship carries out flight tests
photo album
24.03.2005Tests of the aerostatic complex designed at
request for the Moscow Government are being completed. The
complex includes 2 two-seat Au-12 M airships and three Au-27
tethered balloons ("Lynx").
The purpose of the aerostatic complex is to improve efficiency of
traffic control on urban arteries of the capital. The airships and
balloons will monitor road traffic. The complex will be equipped
with special optical systems analogous to those which are used in
reconnaissance helicopters. photo album
Video 3 MbTest Fly in Moscow 3 Mb
16.08.2005There were flights of
Au-12 airship on MAKS International Air Show.
There
were Au-12 Mand
Au-11
airships, aerostats Au-27“Linx” and Au-17
“Bars” on MAKS Air Show, also there was exhibits thermal
one-seat airship AU-29
“Zyablik”. During the flights, video was transmitted on monitor
from the board of airship Au-12.
The airship envelope has a Parseval shape with elongation 4. The airship
envelope is made of high-strength PU-coated fabric with UV protection and
helium barrier. The use of single ballonet scheme permits to lower production
and maintenance cost. The ballonet has a designed volume of 25% of
total volume to compensate altitude and pressure changes.
The outer suspension serves for the more even distribution of the weight
of the gondola and propeller thrust along the length of the envelope. It
consists of 10 envelope patches and suspension cables connected to the
gondola.
The automatic safety valve PAK 3, which permits the airship to ascend
at a speed of 10 meters per sec, is mounted in ballonet to secure the operational
overpressure. On the left side of the middle part of the envelope there
is an emergency gas valve PAK 1, which works in an automatic and manual
mode. Inflation and deflation are carried out by the use of two hoses mounted
in the aft of the envelope and behind the gondola.
The nose reinforcement has a shape of a 8-ray washer with a mooring
cone. For maneuvering of the airship on the ground there are two fore and
two aft ropes attached to the envelope. The airship "X" - shape tail providing
stability in flight and safe takeoff and landing at up to 7 degrees pitch
angle. Each tail plane consists of a fixed part and an aerodynamic rudder,
has a framed design and is wrapped with a fabric-and-film material. The
airship is equipped by state of the art fly-by-wire rudder control system
with double engine acturators end computerized pilot feedback system.
Scheme of Au-12m Airship.
The Au 12m Technical Data
Volume:
1250 cu. m
including air ballonets, up to
312 cu. m
Length/diameter ratio
4
Envelope max. diameter
8.47 m
Envelope length
34 m
Max. height
10.74 m
Net weight
780 kg
Min. operable speed
0 kmph
Cruising speed
50-90 kmph
Max. speed
100 kmph
360 deg. rotation time at zero speed
55 sec
Engine type
Rotax-912 ULS.
Engine power
100 h.p.
Duration of flight at:
cruising speed
6 hrs
max. speed
2 hrs
Flight range
350 km
Max. altitude
up to 1500 m
Normal altitude
10...1000 m
Crew
1 pilot
Commercial payload
1 person + (65 - 130) kg
Ground crew
2-3
AU-12M airship Type
Certification is completed.
The airship gondola presents a framework containing: a two-person crew;
a power plant, a fuel tank, a ballast container, a self-oriented landing
gear leg, an accumulator, fly-navigational equipment on an instrument panel,
the power plant controls, a rudder and elevator control handle and gas
and air valves controls.
The airship gondola has a large area of glazing.
The power plant consists of a petrol engine Rotax - 912ULS, with actuates
two propeller mounted on the turnable beam via mechanical rubber belt transmission.
It provides the airship with the effective thrust deflection up 90 degrees
up and down.
The telescopic self-orienting leg of a wheel chassis is mounted on
the gondola to absorb the impact energy by a rough landing as well as for
moving on the ground when parked.
The following requirements concerning the airship design and layout
were taken into consideration during design and production of the airship:
• high consumer effectiveness;
• comfort;
• excellent look;
• original and harmonic appearance;
Design simplicity;
The thrust vector device is operated by a handle mounted on the left
of the pilot. The handle can be fixed in any position with a special holder.
A thrust lever is mounted on the handle.
The airship power supply system is designed to supply electricity to
the aerodynamic rudder control system, rudder (reserve) electric engine,
navigational and control equipment, and the inner suspension system.
The airship Au-12m meets the requirements of the airship airworthiness
criteria authorized by the Russian Federation General Aviation Register
of 09.10.96 (fully complies with US FAA Airship Design Criteria).
:: Airship equipment
The airship onboard equipment consists of radio communication equipment,
navigation, flight and other complexes. Their structure depends on requirements
of assured piloting in complicated weather conditions during daytime and
night-time as long as there is visual connection with the ground. All the
parameters of the gas-and-air and navigational systems of the airship are
shown on an LC display, which is convenient for pilot.
The special airship equipment can consist of:
• a loudspeaker system;
• An onboard poster.
• TV camera for monitoring.
The components of special equipment are determined in accordance with
a specific task.
