'World's longest aircraft is unveiled in U.K.'
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26337673The new airship is called the Airlander.
= new reply since forum marked as read
I've been wanting someone to build one of these for ages ... kind of inspired by reading a satirical story about the SSZ* at about the same time I was reading Buckminster Fuller's Ideas and Integrities, where he pointed out that large geodesic domes could be solar-powered hot-air rigid airships ... so, I pictured huge geodesic lifting bodies launched vertically by solar heating, but able to travel through the air at high speed (not necessarily supersonic), recovering energy by regenerative braking on descent (air turbines) (thus converting solar energy to potential/gravitational energy then to stored energy for propulsion), and capable of putting down on water or any open land ... no airport needed, great for emergency transport of supplies/medical teams to natural disaster sites ... the cost/ton-mile for transport for such aircraft could be competitive with transport by sea-going ships, but faster ... potentially truly revolutionary. So get busy guys ! 
At first, you might mistake it for a giant airship - gas-filled balloon on top, pod slung underneath.
But the unique, aerodynamic shape of the balloon - it looks as if a series of cigars have been sewn together - means it can also generate lift just like an aeroplane wing.
That is key, because it enables the designers to make the machine heavier than air, which cuts the need to have dozens of crew hanging on to ropes holding it down every time you land.
In fact, you can land it via remote control with no-one on board at all if you like. And on water if needs be.
*SuperSonic Zeppelin, of course!
http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?68148
http://www.philsp.com/homeville/isfac/s36.htm#A465.21
http://www.baenebooks.com/chapters/1416555609/1416555609__c_.htm