Iron Maiden singer invests in world’s largest aircraft

Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson has invested in the Airlander 10, a “hybrid of plane, balloon and hovercraft, an airship” that could change the way we fly, the Guardian reports.

“I told my wife, I’m about to put £100k into a big bag of helium,” said Dickinson, who got involved with the project in 2008. “It may go up in smoke. She said, people have to dream, and unless you can dream something it’s never going to happen.”

He’s now increased his investment to £250,000.

The singer added: “I’m not expecting to get my money back any time soon, I just want to be part of it. Being a rock person, I could put it up my nose, or buy a million Rolls Royces and drive them into swimming pools, or I could do something useful.”

The Airlander 10 can “fly for weeks” and land “virtually anywhere that’s flat.” Compared to conventional aircraft, the ship is very energy efficient, burning just a fifth of the fuel. The Guardian reports, “With speeds reaching 100mph, it’s slower than a plane but greener, quieter, and potentially far more direct.”

Check it out: