A weird airship nicknamed the Flying Bum is preparing to take off with its first passengers on board, as it promises to reshape the travelling landscape.
The odd-looking Airlander 10 is hoping to start commercial flights the year after next, and the company behind it says it will bring a host of benefits to flying.
Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) says the 300ft-long airship will produce less pollution and noise than traditional aircraft as well as having “massive endurance and cargo-carrying ability”.
READ MORE: Brits travelling from England to Scotland, Wales or Ireland with BA now need ID
Its range means it will be able to fly from the UK to places such as Spain with up to 100 people on board.
It will operate a bit like a hybrid car, with the main helium power backed up by diesel-engine propellers.
And HAV is looking to bring a touch of luxury at the same time, hoping to offer an alternative to the packed-like-sardines functionality of most air travel.
The airships will have floor-to-ceiling windows and a spacious passenger cabin, and thr idea is that the whole trip will be more of an experience than just a functional journey from A to B.
And nervous fliers heading off on their holidays might be attracted by the fact that the airships will apparently be less affected by turbulence than most planes are.
“It’ll be more like travelling on a cruise ship than a plane,” HAV boss Tom Grundy told the Telegraph earlier this year.
Spanish airline Air Nostrum has already committed itself to buying a bunch of the airships, and Tom said: “We’re working with Air Nostrum to create a network of city-to-city connections, much faster than a car, with 10% of the carbon footprint of a flight, and affordable to the customer.”
Another weird thing about the Flying Bum is that it won’t need an airport. Instead, a set of inflatable studs mean it will be able to land on just about any flat surface or on water.
For the latest stories from around the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here.
Source: Read Full Article