World's largest airship flies over London
By David Millward, Transport Correspondent
Last Updated: 2:53am
GMT 10/11/2006
|
The world’s largest commercial airship has
taken off from an airfield in Surrey in preparation for a voyage that will
eventually finish in the United Arab Emirates.
The Spirit of Dubai, which flew over a number of London
landmarks, will spend the next few months making sedate progress across
Europe. Flying over the Thames, the image of the vast airship over
some of the capital’s best-known landmarks was reminiscent of when the Graf
Zeppelin flew over Wembley Stadium on 1930 Cup Final day. But while that voyage was to demonstrate German military
might, The Spirit of Dubai was employed purely as a public relations stunt
for a huge holiday resort in Dubai. The airship, which has a cruising speed of 30 to 50 mph and
an altitude of up to 3,000 ft, will be crewed by a team of pilots working in
pairs. The trip will not be non-stop, the craft staying airborne for
around six hours before landing for refuelling. In a week, according to the promoters, the airship will
consume less fuel than a Boeing 767 uses to get from its gate to the runway. Prior to its take-off on Wednesday, the airship was housed in
an 812ft-high hangar at RAF Cardington in Bedford. This trip was the first of two over London. Next week it will
be seen over Birmingham and Stonehenge. Then the airship crosses the Channel where it will be seen in
Paris before heading south to Italy, flying over the Leaning Tower of Pisa
and Rome, before heading to Greece, Egypt and then south over the United Arab
Emirates to Dubai. |
