For the most part, it’s difficult to see air travel as anything but an uncomfortable way to get to where you want to go as fast as possible.
I can think of two flights that I was actually excited about and they were the first one I ever took and the first one to feature screens in the back of the next person’s seat.
But while that development made things so much more bearable, the idea of enjoying the overall experience of flying seems, at best, exclusive to first class.
However, there are some big plans to change that with an even bigger airship.
This airborne behemoth is called the Airlander 10 and it’s supposed to be a hybrid of a plane, an airship, and a helicopter.
According to Business Insider , it’s 60 feet longer than the world’s largest passenger plane at 302 feet in length and costs the equivalent of $33 million to make.
Amusingly, it’s also known as “The Flying Bum,” for reasons that should be obvious from this photo.
But while that’s all well and good, what would draw non-aviation geeks to take a ride in it?
For one thing, if you don’t like being cramped in a metal tube with a bunch of other people, you might like to hear that this massive craft only plans to fly 19 people at once.
Although this might be bad news for those with a fear of heights, the airship also features glass floors so you can get a full view of what’s going on around you from 16,000 feet up.
Not only that, but the airship is equipped with a big lounge area, a full “altitude bar,” and ensuite bedrooms.
The bedrooms, while welcome on their own, might seem a bit excessive for an average flight time. However, passengers will find that the ship travels slower than they might expect.
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In fact, the Airlander 1’s top speed is only 91 mile per hour.
So not only will it not help you if you need to get somewhere in a hurry, but it’s basically designed to provide a three-day flying experience.
In this way, it’s a lot more like a flying cruise than other types of air travel.
Unfortunately, if this sounds like your ideal experience, you’re going to have to wait for it.
According to Business Insider, that’s because it has crashed during three different test lights. This only caused two minor injuries, but it’s obviously a matter to address before the public is allowed to ride it.
On a more positive note, the Airlander 10 has since completed six successful test flights, but it still needs to log 200 hours of flight without incident before it’s deemed safe for commercial passengers.
h/t: Business Insider