Sailing the world’s oceans on a yacht – all very well, but what if you want to ride on land as on water? Well, that’s where AirYacht was developed, because it combines an airship with a yacht.
The luxury aircraft / watercraft is developed by the Swiss company AirYacht, founded by engineers Guillaume Hode and Mathieu Ozan. French yacht designer Frank Darnett is responsible for its appearance and layout.
Simply put, an AirYacht consists of two parts: an airship filled with helium, and a streamlined yacht that is connected to the bottom.
In flight, the yacht serves as an airship gondola, which accommodates a crew of up to 12 passengers. However, if the owner wants to sail the sea, the yacht can be detached from the airship, lowered down to a set of ropes, and then released from these cables as soon as it reaches the water surface. The process changes when it comes time to return the yacht to the airship.
Guillaume Hode / AirYacht
Needless to say, the plane should hover pretty close to the water while it’s all happening. It is reported that he will use a system of control of “air buoyancy” to prevent a sudden rise in the air if he releases all this weight from the bottom. There is currently no word on how the airship will maintain its position while everyone takes off on the yacht.
Alternatively, if the owner wants to stay on land for a while, the yacht can be lowered and released again, this time sitting on the ground with a set of racks that unfold from its hull. On the other hand, for shorter land trips, an elevator-like 12-passenger lift can be lowered on ropes from the bottom of the yacht, while the latter remains attached to the airship.
Guillaume Hode / AirYacht
Depending on factors such as cruising speed and number of passengers / crew, the AirYacht should remain self-sufficient for one week.
In terms of key features, the airship will be 200 meters (656 feet) long and will use a hybrid fuel-electric drive system to travel at speeds of up to 50 knots (93 km / h or 58 mph). Ozan tells us that due to the confidentiality agreement with the partner company that is developing the aircraft, several other details can be reported at the moment.
The three-story yacht component will be 52 m long, 13 m wide and 11 m high (171 by 43 by 36 feet) and will include five to six cabins. Along with 12 passengers and three flight crew members, it will also be able to accommodate 12 people of the “hospitable crew”. Some of its other scheduled features include a front and aft deck; Jacuzzi, sauna and swimming pool (!); helipad; plus a garage where you can store vehicles such as a car, boat or jet ski.
There are currently no performance characteristics for the yacht.
Guillaume Hode / AirYacht
It is reported that AirYacht is being developed since 2017, and it is planned that the first will be ready for operation in 2026 – then will be produced from one to four units per year. Not surprisingly, Ozan says prices will be discussed with potential buyers only during a confidential interview. Those interested can contact the company through its website.
Source: AirYacht
AirYacht allowed passengers to sail both by air and water
Source link AirYacht allowed passengers to sail both by air and water