Cargolifter has won the contract to provide airborne heavy lifting services for Pennsylvania's 75km (47 miles) Pittsburg magnetic levitation public transport system with its 175t payload CL160 airship. The German manufacturer has become a 12.5% shareholder in the project as part of the deal. Cargolifter has recently been recapitalised by €10.1 million ($8.9 million) to a total of €40.5 million, for the development of the smaller 100t capacity CL75 AirCrane. Construction of the first CL160 (prototype left) will start early next year at the manufacturer's plant near Berlin and will be completed in less than two years. The prototype CL75 AC is undergoing tests at Cargolifter's Berlin facilities.
Source: Flight International