Largest airship built in United States since 1930s to take shape soon inside Akron Airdock

The largest airship to be built in the United States since the 1930s is expected to start taking shape later this year inside the Akron Airdock, with its first flight possibly coming in 2023.

And the beginnings of the project involved a get-together for a cup of coffee years ago at the Courtyard by Marriott on the outskirts of downtown Akron.

Pathfinder 3, a huge all-electric airship designed by LTA Research, is in the final planning stages in Akron. Prototype carbon fiber and titanium framing has been put together inside the airdock for testing. Pilots are undergoing flight training using sophisticated simulators. And the airdock itself is undergoing renovations and updating.

"LTA is standing on the shoulders of its predecessors here at the airdock," said Alan Weston, the company's chief executive officer. LTA – as in Lighter Than Air – was founded in California by billionaire Google co-founder Sergey Brin. "Because of their efforts, we are going to be able to build airships that are faster, that are safer, more environmentally friendly and have greater capabilities than any airship built before."

LTA previews its work at Akron Airdock

On Thursday, LTA publicly previewed its work in the facility, including showing off the test framing and a "baby airship," a flying model of its 400-foot-long Pathfinder 1 airship that will be built in California.

"[Pathfinder 3] will be the largest airship built in the United States since the Macon was built [by Goodyear] in 1932," Weston said. 

LTA's goal is to build huge airships to provide humanitarian aid in places where conventional transportation can't reach, such as in the aftermath of a disaster. Pathfinder 3, at 600 feet long and 100 feet in diameter, is designed to carry about 20 tons and be able to traverse as many as 10,000 miles using electric-only, zero-emission propulsion.

"We believe that lighter-than-air technology has the potential to revolutionize humanitarian relief efforts with its ability to reach remote locations that have little or no infrastructure," Weston said.

LTA expected to add jobs in Akron

LTA already has about 70 employees in Akron, including Weston, a former aerospace engineer and director of programs at the NASA Ames Research Center who moved to the area. By next year, LTA should have as many as 200 people working at the former Lockheed Martin, and before that Goodyear Aerospace, campus next to Akron Fulton International Airport. 

The iconic airdock, completed in 1929, is being transformed into a state-of-the-art facility, Weston and others said. 

"We have to build the next-generation production facility," said Harry Harris, the Pathfinder 3 program manager.

Eventually, LTA expects to start making carbon fiber and titanium airship parts at the airdock as well, Weston said. The company also expects that some of its vendors will locate nearby.

Pathfinder 3 will initially be powered by batteries, Weston said. But the goal is to have the helium-filled airship powered by hydrogen fuel cells, he said.

University of Akron President Gary Miller said the university has been a partner with LTA from the early goings. The city of Akron and the Development Finance Authority of Summit County are also key players in the venture.

"There are many cool things about being a college president," Miller said. "I think this is the coolest."

UA graduates already make up a substantial number of local employees. Having LTA involved with the university is a good recruiting tool, Miller said.

Akron 'making blimps again'

"We're making blimps again," Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan said.

Horrigan and Weston first met over coffee at the Courtyard by Marriott about five years ago. That conversation helped clear the way to LTA moving its operations to the airdock and surrounding campus. 

"It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship," Weston said.

LTA was founded by Brin for humanitarian reasons, he said.

Weston said LTA's goal is to start building Pathfinder 3 this year. It is possible its first flight could be in 2023 or 2024.

Are more airships coming to Akron?

If Pathfinder 3 works as planned, there likely will be more airships to come.

While the 600-foot-long Pathfinder 3 will be the largest airship in the world once completed, the airdock has room for even larger ones, Weston said.

"You could build an airship 1,000 feet long," he said.

Beacon Journal reporter Jim Mackinnon can be reached at 330-996-3544 or jmackinnon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him @JimMackinnonABJ on Twitter or www.facebook.com/JimMackinnonABJ.