The much-hyped Airlander 10 has been described as a ‘superyacht in the sky’ - and it plans to be carrying passengers in just four years’ time.
The Airlander 10 - manufactured by UK-based Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) - will have the capacity to carry 100 passengers (an average Boeing 737-800 carries 189) or 10 tons of payload, and the value of its order book currently stands in excess of £1 billion. The Spanish regional carrier Air Nostrum will be the first airline to put it into service, with a scheduled launch date of 2028.
Despite appearances, the Airlander 10 is not a traditional airship but rather a “hybrid aircraft” reliant on buoyant lift from helium, aerodynamic lift from its shape, and vectoring engine power for take-off and landing. The Airlander 10 will have a top speed of around 100mph, closer to a car or train than a plane.
HAV's chief executive, Tom Grundy, says the company aims “to create a network of city-to-city connections, much faster than a car, with 10 per cent of the carbon footprint of a flight, and affordable to the customer.”
Air Nostrum has 20 ships on order, some of which will fly around Spain, but others are intended to enable it to expand its network from Spain into the Mediterranean and Malta. Potential routes include Malta to Gozo and Malta to Sicily. Other links to Italy and to Tunisia are in discussion. The interior of each Airlander 10 can be configured to suit the client. Here are three concept layouts to give you an idea...
All photos credit: Airlander 10
HAV is also in talks with the Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Loganair to discuss developing A to B connections between Scottish islands. It has also had discussions with luxury tour operators to discuss the potential for safaris in the sky, or Northern Lights viewing experiences.