British manufacturer Hybrid Air Vehicles will produce a fleet of airships for Discovery Air, company based in the Northwest of Canada. These futuristic airships are being specifically designed to supply remote communities and enterprises to the Northwest of Canada. It is in wide knowledge that huge swaths of Northwest Canada are completely in accessible by road during winters. Once these 50 ton giants are ready to fly, the problem will be solved once and for all.
As per the initial estimates each Airship is going to cost around $40 million. HAV claims that the Air ships will be able to fly at the maximum speed of 185 km/h; this will significantly reduce the traveling time between the mainland and the Northwest. These airships build to land on all kinds of surface, will run on a mix of non-flammable helium and air power. Though, some may call it a costly venture, men at Discover Air look at it in a different manner.
The road network of the Northwestern territories is not adequately developed, which causes hindrances in tapping the oil and gas extraction opportunities in the region. Discover Air have suffered massive losses in the past due to the same. In 2009 the company’s losses were so big that the Northwest Territories government had to bail them out. To build on the goodwill and to avoid any such embarrassment in future, the company has decided to invest heavily in the area by building these airships for better connectivity.
Via: Alaska Dispatch
