TCOM is the only LTA company in the world with a facility devoted to aerostat and airship manufacture, assembly, flight test and training operations. This facility is located near Elizabeth City, NC, approximately a one hour drive south from Norfolk, VA.

Our facility's most prominent feature is an enormous all-weather metal hangar flanked by a paved flight operations area. At a length of 300 meters, the hangar can accommodate six fully inflated 71M� aerostats. The 500-ton clamshell doors allow ingress and egress of vehicles up to 150 feet in height.

To minimize exposure to dust and other pollutants during fabrication, approximately one-fifth of the hangar is devoted to an environmentally controlled "clean room". The large floor space of the clean room allows fabrication of very large sections of the 71M� aerostats and complete assembly of smaller airships and aerostats.

The flight pad on the property is used to demonstrate and evaluate the performance of TCOM aerostat systems or airships. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), has granted TCOM permission to routinely fly aerostats and airships above the Elizabeth City facility.

A Federal Communications Commission License for an experimental station can be obtained to allow complete checkout of aerostat communications and surveillance payloads. Utilities available at the site include 50/60/400 Hz power and an ample supply of helium. Support apparatus and test equipment are available for all forms of aerostat and airship test, repair and rigging.

The Elizabeth City Manufacturing and Flight Test Facility enables TCOM to provide customers with an unparalleled level of quality assurance, training, ongoing operations and field support services. This facility has become the East Coast hub for all airship maintenance and assembly activities.