Hydrogen ‘Clipper In the Clouds’ Is A Diamond In the Sky

When product designers at Seymourpowell sought to design a new luxury aircraft, they didn’t have a need for speed in mind. In fact, the Aircruise concept takes design cues from a high-end hotel, inviting guests to stay awhile. It’s hard to believe less than a decade ago, travelers routinely crossed the Atlantic in under three hours on supersonic airliners. Instead of even faster crossings, Aircruise is one of a whole new breed of concept airships looking to reinvent air travel with day-and-a-half crossings from New York to London, where the vacation begins the moment passengers board the ship, and where leisure travelers arrive well-rested. “The Aircruise concept questions whether the future of luxury travel should be based around space-constrained, resource hungry, and all too often stressful airline travel,” Seymourpowell design director Nick Talbot said. “A more serene transport experience will appeal to people looking for a more reflective journey, where the experience of travel itself is more important than getting from

A to B quickly.” That means a maximum of a hundred passengers including a staff of fourteen, individual sleeping quarters, a bar and lounge and the ability to “drop in” on wonders such as the Grand Canyon or Pyramids of Giza along the journey. Seymourpowell calls the ship a “clipper in the clouds,” and it’s certainly reminiscent of the golden age of flying on Pan Am’s Stratocruisers — but a lot more environmentally friendly. Hydrogen provides lift while solar panels cover the top of the ship to augment the fuel cells powering on-board systems. It’s that efficiency that caught the eye of Samsung, who commissioned Seymourpowell to refine their design with new CGI renderings and videos. Though it’s strictly a design concept, Seymourpowell created a detailed list of tech specs and Samsung says the concept could be realized by 2015. Photos/Video: Seymourpowell

The rest is here: 
Hydrogen ‘Clipper In the Clouds’ Is A Diamond In the Sky