Stunning Photos of World's Largest Aircraft Reveals Incredible Glass Walls and Floors
Experts believe that the English word “travel” may have originated from the Old French term that means “travail.” It’s not hard to understand why.
I mean, think back to your last trip, particularly if it involved air travel. It very likely contained delays, lost luggage, noisy crowds, unhelpful airline employees, dingy planes, and awful food.
No, travel is often anything but fun. Yet one company is hoping to change all that.
Hybrid Air Vehicles based out of Bedfordshire, England, has come up with an aircraft it believes will revolutionize air travel. It’s called the Airlander 10.
Measuring at an impressive 302 feet, the Airlander 10 is the world’s largest aircraft. But there’s something about it you may not expect.
It isn’t an airplane. Yes, you read that correctly: The Airlander 10 is more a blimp than a fixed-wing vessel.
From the outside, the Airlander 10 looks something like an engorged tick with comically stubby fins, a pair of propellers, and a little cockpit. Gazing at it from the ground, no one would think, “There goes the future!”
However, inside is a totally different story. In fact, the interior of the Airlander 10 is enough to take your breath away.
Here it is! We unveiled the #luxurycabin design for the #Airlander10 at the #FarnboroughAirshow #fia18 It features private en-suite bedrooms, fine dining & panoramic views in world’s largest aircraft. The 150ft-long cabin is designed to carry up to 18 passengers for a 3-day trip pic.twitter.com/XcNS92FdHG
— Design Q (@DesignQLtd) July 19, 2018
Forget about endless rows of identical, straight-backed seats that recline by mere inches. This vessel’s interior looks more like something you’d find on a condo near Miami’s South Beach.
Think wood floors, white-leather couches, and a stylishly curved ceiling reminiscent of a yacht. It also boasts a bar and cocktail area.
Those high-end flourishes aren’t accidental. They come courtesy of Design Q, a consultancy firm that has worked with Bombardier and Virgin Atlantic.
Still, that isn’t what will take your breath away. Rather, little niches in the walls and walkways have been cut away to reveal a heart-stopping view of the world below.
Of course, every option has trade-offs, and the Airlander 10 isn’t likely to replace airplanes soon. For one thing, it’ll have to draw the ultra-wealthy if Hybrid Air Vehicles wants to break even.
The vessel only seats 19 people. Additionally, it moves at a relatively sluggish 91 miles per hour.
Sounds fast enough, doesn’t it? Well, when compared to a regular jetliner’s cruising speed that tops more than 500, it seems downright glacial.
But Hybrid Air Vehicles doesn’t necessarily want speed at all costs. Instead, the company wants to reinstill romance into travel.
“Air travel has become very much about getting from A to B as quickly as possible,” CEO Stephen McGlennan told the BBC. “What we’re offering is a way of making the journey a joy.”
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