Flying Whales is determined to achieve its first flight of the LCA60T airship by 2027, despite industrial and environmental challenges. The company aims to revolutionize heavy load transport while focusing on decarbonization. With 230 million euros secured of a 450-million-euro goal, it faces competition and scrutiny over ecological impacts, particularly concerning forest destruction. The project seeks to balance innovation and sustainability as it navigates a complex landscape of technology, safety, and regulatory hurdles.
Flying Whales: Ambitious Goals Amidst Challenges
Despite facing significant industrial hurdles and environmental concerns—particularly the proposed destruction of vast forest areas—the freight airship manufacturer Flying Whales remains committed to achieving its first flight by 2027. This Franco-Canadian initiative aims to revolutionize heavy load transportation by contributing to ‘decarbonization,’ although it has fallen several years behind its original timeline.
Initially, the company anticipated launching its first model in 2023, with a planned inaugural flight for the LCA60T, a 200-meter-long rigid airship capable of carrying 60 tons, projected for early 2024. However, the timeline has been extended due to the complexities involved in reviving an outdated industrial sector for airships and the pressing environmental regulations that have delayed the establishment of an assembly plant in Gironde. Vincent Guibout, the company’s general director, emphasizes, “Our mission is to decarbonize transport and provide access to remote areas,” as the company navigates these obstacles with a workforce of 250 employees.
Market Competition and Environmental Impact
In a competitive landscape that includes American LTA Research and British HAV, Flying Whales is focusing on mountainous and forested regions where its airships can efficiently load and unload without the need for ground infrastructure. The LCA60T is projected to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 70% for specific deliveries, such as transporting wind turbine blades compared to traditional road transport methods.
With a total funding goal of 450 million euros, Flying Whales has successfully secured 230 million euros through a mix of private investments and public financing from sources including the French government and the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, with further funding anticipated from Australia in 2025. Since its inception in 2017, the company has continued its development efforts, including assembling and testing components, and has trained four test pilots. “We have all the necessary elements in place,” asserts Guibout, despite ongoing skepticism regarding the practicality of these airships.
The aircraft design includes a unique ‘trumpet’ mechanism for managing water and ballast, crucial for load transfers. Guibout reassures that these are “ultra-classic technologies,” already in use in various sectors. The decision to utilize helium, an inert gas, over hydrogen—a flammable alternative—ensures a higher safety standard, albeit at a construction cost of six million euros per aircraft.
Another significant challenge lies in the vulnerability of this large structure, measuring 180,000 m³, flying at speeds of 100 km/h over distances of 1,000 kilometers. Olivier Doaré, a mechanical researcher at the École nationale supérieure de techniques avancées (ENSTA), notes that “substantial technological advancements are essential to create better airships than those of the past century,” identifying a niche market that is intriguing but not universally applicable.
Moreover, rebuilding a supplier network poses a critical challenge. The expertise that once thrived in this field largely dissipated after the Hindenburg disaster in 1937, as noted by Nicolas Caeymaex, a former operational director of the now-defunct Flywin project. The necessity for certification from aviation authorities, which may be hesitant about ‘technological innovations,’ further complicates the path forward for Flying Whales, although Guibout remains optimistic about their progress.
Environmental concerns also loom large, with the project facing scrutiny over its impact on natural habitats. The Environmental Authority (AE) has expressed serious reservations regarding the project’s potential effects on protected species and regional heritage, including a call for the preservation of 32.5 hectares of wetlands. While the regional socialist executive under Alain Rousset seeks to develop northern Gironde economically, Guibout stresses that “reindustrializing requires making compromises.” As Flying Whales continues its quest for innovation, balancing ecological preservation with industrial ambitions remains a formidable challenge.