Following the exciting news of the Airlander 10 production site location we have had lots of great questions. Ranging from questions about why we chose Carcroft Common to queries about its impact on the local community. To provide a more comprehensive insight into these questions and more, we've compiled the answers to of those some frequently asked questions (FAQs).
How did you choose the site?
In March 2023, South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) approved a package of investment and support for plans by Hybrid Air Vehicles to produce our pioneering ultra-low emissions aircraft, Airlander 10, in Doncaster.
We’ve been working closely with landholders around Doncaster, including the City of Doncaster Council to identify the right site, meeting the particular needs off our programme, like size, profile and access.
Carcroft Common is a strategic site within the Council’s plans for economic growth, and also features prominently in the South Yorkshire Investment Zone, launched by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in July 2023.
It also forms a key part of the Mayor of South Yorkshire’s plans for an Innovation Corridor. As such, it provides the perfect location for the Airlander 10 production programme – both in its size, characteristics, and ability to positively impact the surrounding communities.
What's next?
The announcement means that we have agreed to acquire the freehold to the site from the City of Doncaster Council. Our immediate next steps will be to focus on the planning process, initially through preparing a planning application.
It is integral to us that we work closely with local government and communities to ensure that Airlander can benefit the region.
We’ve had a busy 2024 so far, announcing strategic partnerships with Dassault Systemes and Trimech, an aircraft reservation from Grands Espaces, and that we’ve formally begun the Type Certification process. This momentum will continue throughout the year, and we look forward to in the coming months highlighting further milestones with partners, suppliers, and other innovators.
What does this mean for the local community?
Airlander production will require a high number of skilled workers. HAV want to draw upon the local population to create that team, developing and training local talent in doing so. We have already started working with the local schools, colleges, and universities to engage with the future workforce and shape educational pathways, for example we work with Doncaster UTC to create an annual workshop for their engineering stream of students that ignites interest in aviation and the skills required.
Our business wide commitment to sustainability leads to procurement strategies which prioritise local supply chains. We’re steadfast in our commitment to keeping the UK at the forefront of aerospace innovation, manufacturing, and commercialisation, which in turn will have global implications. That begins in Doncaster.
What are the anticipated impacts on the local economy, particularly in terms of job creation and supply chain development?
Hybrid Air Vehicles’ plans will create over 1,200 new high value and highly skilled jobs, in new green technologies, and further jobs and opportunities from growth across the company’s supply chains.
With partners like the University of Sheffield and Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, Hybrid Air Vehicles aims to accelerate a new green cluster for low emissions aerospace technologies, delivering long-term opportunities for advanced manufacturing.
We look forward to keeping you updated as soon as we can share more news on the progress of our production and Type Certification programme.