Blow for UK airships

Efforts to create a UK airship industry suffered a major setback after Advanced Technologies Group (ATG), the country’s largest manufacturer, went into administration after running out of funds.

The commercial blow coincided with what appears to be an increasing global interest in airship technology, particularly the US, where several major military and civil projects are underway.

Based in Cardington, Beds, ATG has, since 1996, received £30m of investment, achieving international recognition for its ‘lighter-than-air’ (LTA) technology.

Before the cash crisis, ATG planned to construct large-scale airships called SkyCats, capable of carrying a 20-tonne payload.

Company director Gordon Taylor claimed its proposals were technically sound, with money at the heart of its problems.

Taylor said that as of last week, the administrator was in talks with a ‘foreign government organisation’ and three European aerospace companies in a bid to obtain a new cash injection of up to £50m.

‘The challenge for us is funding, not technology,’ said Taylor. ‘As far as we are concerned if someone came to us with an order we are prepared to fulfil the contract.’