CEO: Damaged Prototype Airship Can be Repaired

The CEO of a company that developed an experimental airship damaged when a hangar roof collapsed said the dirigible possibly can be repaired although an assessment team hasn’t been able to go inside until the area is deemed safe.

Igor Pasternak, CEO of Worldwide Aeros, said an initial review of damage to the aircraft’s tail appears to be repairable and shouldn’t slow down efforts to develop a fleet that’s capable of carrying large amounts of cargo.

The incident occurred Monday at the former Marine Corps Air Station in Tustin, Calif. No one was injured and the cause of the collapse is under investigation.

The Department of Defense and NASA have invested $35 million in the prototype because of its potential to one day carry more cargo than any other aircraft to disaster zones and military bases.