From the Independent
Cranfield-based Hybrid Air Vehicles showed off their creation they said could also set a new benchmark for greener aircraft. Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson, who is also a professional airline pilot and co-funded the Airlander, compared the £30m aircraft to Thunderbird 2 and declared it a momentous day in aviation history.
He said: “This is a beautiful thing – the sheer imagination and scale of it – British-designed and built. Rarely do you get the chance to be involved in something really at the cutting edge of aviation. We have created the world’s largest aircraft from a shed in Bedford. It is something to be incredibly proud of.”
I don't really understand the blimp lobby calling for passenger services, but cargo would seem to have some uses, especially for slowly-perishable goods or equipment to places inland without good road access or airports. Instead of flying flowers out of Kenya on a plane, it might be that we can put them on an airship. It would take a couple of days to get them here, but be a lot cheaper than an aircraft.
