14 DAY TRIAL // Two things first: 1. Wow! 2. Finally... what took it so long? It looks like the zeppelin commercial flight will shortly resume with the Manned Cloud airship, which will basically be a flying hotel. The French manufacturing company Massaud argues that, when finished, the airship will be able to carry 40 passengers on board at cruising altitudes up to 5,4 kilometers up into the Earth's atmosphere and could, in theory, circle the whole planet in about 10 days.
The Manned Cloud will provide with 20 passenger rooms, a panoramic windows and ever a bar. It will be propelled through the air with the help of a massive rear propeller and two additional engines that will have a directional role, enabling takeoffs and landings but also steering the aircraft through the air. Don't get too excited though, we are not going to fly this beauty any time soon, as it is predicted to be ready for launch only by 2020. So, I'm twisting the knife in the wound even more: the Manned Cloud will also have an onboard restaurant, library, a lounge and a gym on its first deck.
The project was started back in 2005, when the designer of the aircraft, Jean-Marie Massaud, started a collaboration with the French National Office of Airship Research, in order to develop new eco-friendly ways to travel without the need for new hotels, and to minimize the impact on the environment. Massaud says that the Manned Cloud will fly without the use of heavy fuels such as petrol derived diesel, and that they are currently investigating the possibility whether it is possible to use some form of light combustible gas.
Passengers will get access to spectacular views of some of the most exotic places on Earth, in luxurious conditions, without the need of leaving the airship even for a second. On the other hand, Jean-Marie Massaud refused to talk about the price of such an adventure since it hasn't been yet decided but, as you might imagine, it would probably be very expensive, out of the reach of most people.
When completed, the Manned Cloud will measure about 210 meters in length, will be 81 meters wide and 51 meters deep. It will have a crew complement of 15, and could reach a top speed of 168 kilometers per hour, meaning it will be able to fly about 930 kilometers without requiring fueling.
