Air Nostrum Group has doubled its Airlander 10 aircraft order from Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), bringing the total number of aircraft reserved to 20. The additional aircraft will be used to underpin the Valencia-based regional airline’s expansion of the Airlander network from Spain into the Mediterranean region.
The first 10 aircraft services are planned within five years, with further potential route networks being presented to Transport Malta by leaders from Mel Air, part of Air Nostrum Group, and Hybrid Air Vehicles. The discussions explored the advantages of Airlander’s potential land and water-based operations for routes such as Malta-Gozo, Malta-Sicily and other key links with Italy, Tunisia and Libya.
“There are many factors that motivate us in flying Airlander,” said Miguel Ángel Falcόn, Chairman of Mel Air and Vice President of Air Nostrum, “including a very low fuel consumption, bringing great ecological and economic benefits; the high operational versatility of being able to take-off and land on land and water; the family concept offering from 10 to 50 tonnes of payload starting with 100 passengers on the Airlander 10, all in an environment of passenger comfort.”
Air Nostrum has joined the Airlander 50 Development Partner Programme as the first commercial airline partner on the project. The programme allows key partners and future Airlander 50 customers to influence and enhance HAV’s Airlander 50 specifications.
“Our growing partnership with Air Nostrum Group continues to demonstrate leadership towards the future of flight and revolutionising how we fly,” added Tom Grundy, CEO of Hybrid Air Vehicles. “Airlander is designed to deliver a better future for commercially appealing and truly sustainable aviation services by enabling new transport services and better growth options for our customers. Airlander 10 will make this possible by 2027, and Airlander 50 will build on it.”
“We’re so pleased to have doubled Air Nostrum’s reservation to 20 aircraft and to have its backing for our journey and support for our Airlander 50 development programme,” added Grundy.
Image: Air Nostrum Group
