Airlander has announced two deals this week which will help to make a tourism version of its unique low carbon aircraft a reality.

Henry Cookson Adventures will be the first to trial an expeditionary journey in 2018 as a pre-cursor to Airlander’s use in the luxury travel and adventure sector.

In addition, as part of a British Government Innovate UK investment in engineering design, Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), the company behind Airlander, and aircraft interiors designers Design Q have been awarded a grant to design an interior for the tourism variant of the Airlander. HAV has also chosen Design Q as its preferred supplier for design and manufacture of the luxury cabin interiors created as a result of the project.

“We are excited with the prospect of working on such a unique project, not only is it the largest flying aircraft in the world but it demands an interior that truly breaks new ground and provides an experience that will be unlike anything seen before. This will be something that passengers will treasure all their lives,” said Howard Guy, CEO and joint founder of Design Q.

A new kind of travel

According to HAV: “The wide-ranging and unique capabilities of Airlander mean HAV can provide a brand new option for high-end, luxury tourism. The ability to stay aloft for days at a time, in virtual silence, with floor-to-ceiling windows and fresh air make Airlander perfect for cruising in exceptional locations.”

Using innovative technology, Airlander 10 is described as “the first in a new breed of hyper-efficient aircraft”. Though potentially capable of staying in the air for weeks at a time, the aircraft can also land anywhere.

“These twin assets make her perfect for exclusive adventures, bringing guests to hard-to-reach locations in unprecedented levels of comfort,” HAV says.

Where next?

On completion of the trial flight in 2018, Henry Cookson Adventures ultimately plans to take the type-certified Airlander 10 to a range of destinations at client request, including places as diverse as the North Pole, Bolivian Salt Pans and Namib Desert.

Watch our video interview with Airlander’s Chris Daniels, Head of Partnerships & Communication.