A look inside the lavish plane dubbed the ‘flying bum’
YES, this is a plane. New photos from aboard the world’s weirdest aircraft, dubbed the “flying bum”, reveal a sight most of us will never get to see.
WHEN you think of luxury travel, flying in something that looks like a giant butt probably is not the first thing that comes to mind.
But new computer-generated images of the interior of the world’s biggest aircraft, the Airlander 10, have just been released and regardless of its outer appearance, it’s clear this plane is designed for some very, very wealthy passengers.
The $44 million Airlander 10 is a hybrid of a plane and an airship that’s been dubbed the “flying bum” thanks to its large, curvaceous rear.
The new images released by British manufacturers Hybrid Air Vehicles and design firm Design Q show floor-to-ceiling windows and a glass floor on board the unique aircraft.
It also features private bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, a sleek bar and a roomy common area outfitted with plush sofas.
“We often like to think about Airlander as a cruise liner in the sky,” Hybrid Air Vehicles executive director Tom Grundy told NBC News.
The Airlander 10, which at 95 metres is longer than an Airbus A380, can carry 19 passengers on three-day trips, although there’s no word yet on the cost of a ticket.
One of the benefits of its unique design is that it can take off and land on just about any flat surface and doesn’t necessarily need a tarmac runway.
Four diesel-powered propellers will allow the aircraft to travel at about 145km/h, at an altitude of about 1800m to 2400m — although it is capable of reaching more than double that.
While that’s nothing compared to the speedier passenger jets we’re used to, the whole point of the slow-moving Airlander 10 is to enjoy the ride, Hybrid Air Vehicles chief executive Stephen McGlennan said.
“Airlander challenges people to rethink the skies — that’s the driving force behind everything we do,” he said.
“Air travel has become very much about getting from A to B as quickly as possible. What we’re offering is a way of making the journey a joy.”
Mr McGlennan’s firm plans to build up to 12 Airlanders each year, starting in the early 2020s.
But it’s been a rocky ride so far for the unusually shaped plane.
The aircraft has completed six successful test flights, but in August 2016 it suffered some damage to the cockpit when it crashed during landing on a test flight.
A few months later, the aircraft deflated after it came loose from its mooring and crashed in a field.
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