The last time passenger airships frequently rode the skies was more than 80 years ago.
If preparations by Spanish carrier Air Nostrum are successful, those hovering giants—a sight to behold wherever they made their appearance—might soon make a reappearance.
On June 15, Valencia-based Air Nostrum announced that it would be the Airlander 10's launch customer. The Airlander 10 is a new generation of the traditional airship being developed by Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) in Bedford, England. Air Nostrum operates mostly regional routes in Spain on behalf of Iberia.
It is the longest aeroplane in the world, at 92 metres (301.8 feet), although falling short of some of the largest predecessors from the pre-war era.
Helium, an inert, non-flammable gas, provides lift and buoyancy, allowing the four vectored thrust engines that drive the Airlander 10 to operate on relatively little fuel.
This is a point that the supporters of the Airlander 10 don't miss an opportunity to make at a time when the environmental effects of air travel are coming under increased public attention.
According to HAV, the Airlander 10 may emit up to 90% fewer emissions than conventional aircraft carrying a comparable weight.
Furthermore, these numbers were produced using conventional jet fuel, but HAV affirms that a switch to hybrid and ultimately totally electric propulsion would be feasible in the future.
With assistance from Collins Aerospace and the University of Nottingham, the company is already making progress toward this objective.
The only drawback?
Speed.
Although the 130 kph (81 mph) top speed of the Airlander 10 is significantly slower than modern jetliners, is this important over short distances?
On certain of its popular, short-distance flights, like those that travel within the Balearic Islands or between that archipelago and the Spanish mainland, Air Nostrum may employ airships.
Currently, either ATR-72-600 turboprops or regional jets from the Canadair Regional Jet family are used on certain routes.
The -100, -900, and -1000 versions are operated by Air Nostrum.
The Airlander 10 gondola will have a maximum passenger capacity of 100, which coincidentally happens to be the number of passengers that can fit on the CRJ-1000, the largest aircraft in the Air Nostrum fleet.
The majority of the airline's flights are also well within the Airlander 10's theoretical maximum range of 750 kilometres (466 miles).
Air Nostrum may even be able to extend its network to new locations without formal airports because airships may land on flat, open regions or attach to masts.
In certain circumstances, the Airlander 10's low speed is even promoted as a benefit because it makes the aircraft an excellent choice for panoramic and opulent air excursions, like the ones that Swedish startup OceanSky Cruises intends to run to the North Pole.
An additional benefit is the Airlander's endurance, which allows it to remain in the air for up to five days.
But it's important to remember that the Airlander 10's certification procedure is still far from being finished.
HAV has been working on the present version of the Airlander 10 since at least 2012, having begun more than 20 years ago in response to a U.S. military research programme. During this process, which hasn't been without its challenges, seven experimental flights have been successfully completed.
Because of this, several business analysts are still pessimistic about its impending realisation.
According to Robert W. Mann, Jr., a former airline executive officer, former fleet planner, and president of R.W. Mann & Company, an independent airline industry analysis company, "The Airlander 10 may be suitable for niche markets, but not for mainstream passenger and cargo transportation, where customer utility means speed and reliability."
The U.S. Government field tested the idea but decided against using it because they felt it was inadequate in a number of ways, including speed, dependability, and durability.
From Air Nostrum's perspective, tentatively agreeing to order 10 of the aircraft, along with facilitating the successful launch of the Airlander 10, is just one of many initiatives intended to help the company diversify so it depends less on its traditional regional airline business and establishes a foothold in alternative, more eco-friendly mobility technologies.
For instance, to compete in the freshly liberalised Spanish high-speed rail market with the national rail firms of Spain and France, the Spanish carrier teamed up with Italian train operator Trenitalia in 2021.
Additionally, Air Nostrum is investing in a number of alternative propulsion initiatives, including electric aircraft, hydrogen fuel-cell kits, and sustainable aviation fuel, maybe as a result of the ongoing discussion on whether to restrict or even outlaw short-haul flights in the future.
The Airlander 10 might potentially be followed by the Airlander 50, a larger model with space for up to 200 passengers, if everything goes according to plan and it begins commercial operation in 2026.
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