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The airship is called LCA60T and will be operated by Flying Whales Services.Photo: Supplied
Flying Whales, a French company specializing in rigid airship technology for heavy-duty transport, plans to set up a manufacturing facility in the UAE. The move will create around 1,000 jobs in partnership with its partners.
Whales are fully electric and therefore have zero emissions and will be certified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It operates like a helicopter and can transport heavy loads, such as mobile hospitals, to remote areas.
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“We want to build a final assembly line in Abu Dhabi to produce airships for everything from East Africa to the Middle East to India. We have started discussions if we build a factory here, production would start in 2027,” said Flying Whales Chairman and Chief Executive Officer CEO Sébastien Bougon said: “We will create 300 direct jobs. As other consortium companies will also come to the UAE to produce parts, in total we will create about 1,000 jobs. “
Named after the marine mammal because it was designed in the shape of a whale, the airship is capable of carrying wind blades, high-voltage towers, industrial parts, hospitals and more. Scroll down to view video
The airship, which can fly hundreds to thousands of kilometers, is not for sale and will be operated by Flying Whales Services. Named LCA60T, the ship is 200 meters long, 50 meters in diameter, and has a 96-meter cargo hold. For the first time in history, it can load and unload heavy or bulky cargo of up to 60 tons. Hover flight.
It leaves no footprint on the ground as it does not require a landing for loading and unloading.
The company aims to have four final assembly lines worldwide: Quebec (Canada), Nouvelle Aquitaine (France), Abu Dhabi (UAE) and Victoria (Australia). Each facility will serve the needs of the entire region. With the support of a consortium of 50 leading aerospace partners including Honeywell, Thales, Safran and AWS, the company will set up Flying Whale Industries and Flying Whale Services units in these four locations.
In terms of cost, Bugon revealed that this new mode of transportation is 20 times cheaper than helicopters and airplanes, and slightly more expensive than trucks. “We load and unload without any impact on the ground.”
The company is currently participating in COP28 in Dubai Expo City and represents French innovation in the field of decarbonized transport.
Serving 30 markets in the UAE
Bugon said they are working hand in hand with U.S. and European regulators so the airship will be as safe as any aircraft operating around the world.
Flying Whales will serve 30 bases in the UAE, deploying airships to all of these destinations. Worldwide, it will have 160 air bases and build an airship for each one.
“Emirates is a strong partner for France and is in the middle. We need to go to India and there are many opportunities in East Africa. So we will be producing airships for the region at Emirates and deploying them across the region, increasing Emirates’ presence throughout the region influence because Emirates will manage all these transports in India, Africa and Turkey,” Bugon told Khaleej Times on the sidelines of COP28.
“If we set up a factory in the UAE, it means there will be an agreement between the UAE, France, Canada and Australia that we will never set up another factory in any other neighboring Gulf country or India. The production and operations will be entirely from the UAE Emirates Airlines.
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