London 2022 – Cookson Adventures, a global leader in experiential travel, continues to push the boundaries on what’s possible in private luxury travel with its agreement with Hybrid Air Vehicles to charter Airlander 10 aircraft. The certification and development of this new type of aircraft will be one of the most disruptive and innovative developments in the travel industry’s recent history, heralding in a new era of low carbon travel.
Cookson Adventures specialises in crafting innovative new luxury experiences and for delivering intricately sophisticated expeditions to the world’s most remote locations. Working with Hybrid Air Vehicles since 2017, the expert team at Cookson Adventures has contributed towards the development and on-board guest experience of this revolutionary new aircraft, which will transform the way we travel.
AIRLANDER 10’s GREEN TECHNOLOGY
Airlander 10 will be Hybrid Air Vehicles’ first production aircraft and is due to enter service from 2028. This cutting-edge aircraft will harness the best capabilities from across various proven aerospace technologies, including airships, fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Airlander 10 will be able to stay airborne for up to five days at a time, is exceptionally quiet, and has a typical operating altitude of up to 10,000ft. It will be certified to fly in all weather conditions and can take off and land from virtually any flat surface.
By leveraging the buoyancy of helium, Airlander technology also requires significantly less fuel to operate than comparable conventional aircraft. When operated on long distance expeditions, Airlander will generate 75% fewer emissions than other fixed-wing aircraft. In other applications, Airlander 10 will also be available in hybrid-electric and all-electric variants before 2050.
THE EXPLORER YACHT OF THE SKIES
Airlander’s ability to cruise and land anywhere, whether it be an urban runway, an open desert, icecap, or open water creates the opportunity to create luxury experiences like no other – taking the superyacht guest experience from the oceans and opening it up to other spectacular locations round the world.
In a time of renewed appreciation and demand for slow travel, the journey to the destination on Airlander will become an experience in itself. The opportunities to explore without a set agenda and be immersed deeper than ever before into different destinations are endless. The aircraft’s ability to cruise at 50 knots, with the option to reduce even further to 25 knots for wildlife viewing, will open up a completely new perspective on our environment. With expert guides travelling alongside guests, it will be possible to bring the destination to life in real time as guests soar over the migration in Africa on an aerial safari or cruise over open desert in the Middle East.
Henry Cookson, Founder & Chairman of Cookson Adventures, comments, “Since I founded Cookson Adventures in 2009, we have built a reputation for pioneering world-first travel experiences and introducing innovative new ways to explore some of the most remote and pristine destinations on the planet. From the very start of this project four years ago, the incredible potential of this revolutionary new travel experience was clear for us to see. This relationship reflects how Cookson Adventures is always seeking out the extraordinary, as well as our continued commitment to promoting sustainable travel.We are excited to see the realisation of this project as we come closer to the launch date of this game-changing aircraft, especially after our team’s contribution to the evolution of the design.”
George Land, Business Development Director of HAV, said “We are pleased to welcome Cookson, with whom we have a long-standing relationship, to our portfolio of customers for Airlander 10. Their clientele and the experiences they can create are unique.”
