Chronology

Every great company has a rich and interesting history. BASI is pleased to share with you the highlights of our business from the formation of the initial partnership agreement to present day.

2011

  • Barry and Dale meet to discuss forming Buoyant Airships Systems International (BASI) to build a cargo airship.
  • Dale confirmed he would relocate to Winnipeg, Manitoba to build a research facility and begin the airship company.
  • BASI incorporates.
  • Search for a suitable location to set up a hangar to build the airship.
  • Several sites were investigated with St. Andrews, Manitoba Airport, CYAV ultimately being chosen.
  • Disassembled, moved and reassembled Dale’s hangar from Wiarton, ON to St. Andrews, MB.
  • Storm blew out the ends of the hangar after assembly was completed.
  • Acquire Aeros 40B advertising blimp from the U.S., seek airship pilot’s licence.

2012

  • Install engineered hangar doors on the BASI research hangar at CYAV.
  • Complete fabrication of MB-80 blimp and first inflation at the University of Manitoba Atrium.
  • Purchase of hot air balloon and beginning of pilot training in Alberta as per direction of Transport Canada to fly airships.
  • First cold air inflation of MB-80 in the research hangar

2013

  • Beginning of design work and prototypes of Orbo – drone geophysical survey platform.
  • Acquisition of 65-foot radio-controlled blimp, renamed MB-65

2014

  • Solar system installed at BASI research hangar.
  • Research work with Hudbay Minerals airborne Geophysical Surveying.
  • Designed, built and patented work on unmanned Orbo design.

2015

  • First helium inflation of the MB-80 in the hangar at CYAV.

2016

  • Hot air balloon pilot’s licence obtained by Dale George.
  • Undertook cold weather testing with MB-80 airship using helium and hydrogen gases.
  • Loss of research hanger, MB-80 and all equipment in violent summer storm.
  • Clearing of the site and liquidation of salvageable assets from the research hangar.

2017

  • Begin design of 30-ton lift, Canadian Airship and the Buoyant Aircraft Rotating Terminal (BART) and complete preliminary CAD drawings.
  • Testing and development of BASI gas cells.
  • Completion of the BASI Cargo Transportation System.
  • Open the BASI Research workshop in Ontario to develop gas cells.
  • Travel to Brazil to showcase the BASI gas cells to Airships Do Brazil (ADB).
  • Travel to France to meet Varialift, Euro Airships and Flying Whales. Varialift agrees that BASI would build gas cells for future study.

2018

  • Development of the BOM and identification of supply chain members.
  • Memorandum of Understanding signed with ADB.
  • Build scale Diorama of the BART and BASI Rigid Airship design.
  • Won the "People’s Choice" Award at the CanInfra Challenge for “Electric Airship Transportation System”.

2019

  • Testing of hydrogen safe gas cells and design refinements.
  • Aviation Innovations Conference in Toronto – Airships to the Arctic.
  • Travel to France to meet with Flying Whales to showcase the BASI gas cells.

2020

  • Development efforts have been slowed by Covid-19
  • Gas Cell research and development continues
  • Other projects underway with updates to come in 2021!

2021 - Coming Soon!

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