Thermoplan

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The Thermoplan serves as a given name of the initial prototype for Russian lenticular-shaped hybrid airships. Characterized by its combined structure, the primary section features a torus of revolution shape, with one variant designed to construct this section hermetically and fill it with helium instead of the standard shell filled with helium. This primary section supports the outer shell, which comprises two sections: one filled with helium and the other with air that can be heated by the airship's engines or cooled naturally. This design draws inspiration from the concept of a "rozière" and significantly enhances manoeuvrability compared to traditional all-helium models. The disc shape also contributes to improved manoeuvrability and allows the airship to withstand winds reaching up to 20 m/s. Thanks to the support of MAI rector Yuri Ryzhov, Thermoplan secured backing from Gazprom in the latter half of the 1980s for the start-up Design Bureau "Thermpolan." The first scaled prototype, ALA-40, was constructed at the Ulyanovsk Aviation Production Complex and rolled out in 1992.