LuffShips (LS) is the trading name of Luffships Buoyant Aircraft Ltd (LBA) a business developing buoyant aircraft (aerostats and airships) that use lighter-than-air (LTA) methods. LBA’s plans lead to serious heavy-lift types as aerial-cranes for transport and other duties, typically as illustrated left, a goal.
We know this is possible from the CL75 pictured below, built to test ideas – enabled by LBA engineers and their associates.
Maybe not what people expect an aircraft to be but who else recently vertically air-lifted and then safely carried an outsized single 55 tonne load over a 2km course, which the CL75 was used for? Designed for air-tow methods with 75 tonne payloads, it was just something affordable 23 years ago to start with that could be scaled up and arranged for more serious purposes, which didn’t follow and hasn’t been surpassed by others since then.
LBA’s leadership comprises aeronautical people from the industry who are engineers/specialists with experience in buoyant aircraft development & operation. See our Teams page for information.
Our motto is, “The impossible we do immediately (CL75 done), it’s only miracles that take a little longer!”
We aim to enable the buoyant aircraft industry worldwide, working to introduce useful sustainable types able for needed duties. However, turning ideas into reality needs investment. LBA has the knowhow for buoyant aircraft but is not an institution for them. We therefore plan to develop them in affordable stages with smaller types for suitable duties in ways that scale up to serve later goals, able to validate technology for aerial-cranes and be used for operator/network set-up/growth.
LBA also undertakes development of the infrastructure needed for our buoyant aircraft, enabling turnkey arrangements for operators (including necessary training) to get underway. This covers essential equipment, systems and facilities, which may include compatible light re-locatable structures such as fabric covered or inflated buildings (e.g., hangars or halls) plus support.
See: Projects for information about LBA’s proposals, overcoming past problems and making things affordable with needed solutions.
We are working to gain airworthiness authority aircraft Design Organisation Approval (DOA) status, taking responsibility for types developed. In the meantime, subject to arrangements agreed, we are prepared to work with aircraft DOA businesses interested in buoyant aircraft but who lack knowhow. However, we are not seeking Manufacturing Organisation (MOA) status for the time being, as there are numerous suppliers already established for buoyant aircraft parts and systems needed. Nonetheless, we do plan to undertake overall assembly, test, certification and so forth, necessary for commercial operating services.
See the Buoyant Aircraft page for further information about our designs and their origins.
