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Delta Willis |
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To provide safe and scenic transport over African terrain |
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To promote tourism in remote areas |
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To be environmentally sensitive to habitat and wildlife |
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To provide profits for investors and locals in Africa |
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To provide a new industry and training in Africa |
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To revive the lost potential of airships as airlines |
Market Potential
As of 1999 there are twelve hot air balloons operating in Kenya�s Maasai Mara Game Reserve, transporting 10-12 passengers in each gondola at $425 per person. This suggests a gross of $50,000 daily in this one game reserve. Balloons also operate in Tanzania�s Serengeti and in South Africa, but on a limited scale. Flights are possible for an average of 350 days a year because of the ideal weather conditions near the equator in East Africa, with heavy rains coinciding with the low season for tourism.
Over the past decade there have been complaints about the environmental damage caused by off-road driving of ground crews to meet these balloons where ever they may land in the reserve. Off road driving in general can cause serious damage to the fragile grasslands of this savannah, the northern part of the Serengeti ecosystem. Richard Leakey, former Director of the Kenya Wildlife Service which oversees management of the parks and reserves, twice threatened to curtail balloon flights because of the damage to the environment. There are additional complaints about the sudden noise of burners harassing the wildlife below. This is not a complaint but a learning lesson to fold in improvements.
While AIRSHIPS OVER AFRICA has no plans to compete directly with the balloon flights in the Mara, our operations would not have the problems of excessive off road driving (because airships can be steered to a landing site, whereas hot air balloons cannot) nor would there be the noise blasts required from propane burners; airships are propelled by relatively quiet and small engines that merely provide lateral, horizontal, drive. Lift, provided by helium or solar-powered hydrogen, is entirely silent.
The market potential is enormous because of the tremendous growth in tourism, and within that industry, adventure travel, wildlife viewing and ecotourism lead growth areas. Exotic, high-priced travel programs enjoy particular success, such as the Rovos Rail train journey from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, to Cape Town, South Africa ($27,000 per person double occupancy) and such exclusive wilderness retreats as the elephant back safaris at Botswana�s Abu Camp ($1,100 per person per night double occupancy)
Bad publicity and crowded parks have driven many potential travelers away from Kenya, where photo safaris provided the major source of foreign currency for two decades. South Africa has picked up much of this potential by superior promotion efforts, and Botswana because of its image for off the beaten path travel, and the pristine wetlands known as the Okavango Delta. The �northern circuit� of Tanzania is enjoying growth and tremendous traffic that travel to increasingly pressured areas, including the Serengeti National Park, and the Ngorongoro Crater.
The first target market of AIRSHIPS OVER AFRICA is to tap transport passengers from crowded areas in Tanzania to lesser-known but vast parks in the south and west, namely Ruaha and the Selous, with extensions into the Mahale Mountains and Lake Tanganyika. These beautiful destinations currently require expensive, small plane charters over long distances. Even were the airplane schedule to improve, it would not compete with the cache associated with an airship journey.
AIRSHIPS OVER AFRICA would begin operations with 12 passenger airships that would provide passengers with a low quiet journey over the exquisite wild terrain that is largely flat savannah grasslands. Passengers will be able to open their windows (a proven feature on the transatlantic Zeppelins) and enjoy wine and meals while watching the wildlife herds and majestic natural landscape below. The necessity of charter airplane flights would be transformed into an extraordinary experience that would enhance travel in these pristine areas. At the same time pressures on over-crowded parks can be relieved when travelers are presented with these attractive options.
HISTORY The first airline was founded in 1909, only a year after Wilbur Wright gave a demonstration flight to a stunned crowd in France. The airline consisted of zeppelins, named after the German count who designed these dirigibles, which flew thousands of passengers on regularly scheduled flights within Germany, and from Frankfurt to New York and Rio. With a top speed of 75 mph, airships crossed the Atlantic in two and a half days, and passengers enjoyed the luxuries of an ocean liner.
Between 1910 and 1914, the Zeppelin Airline carried 33, 722 passengers and crew. A total of 3 139 hours were flown in 1588 flights covering over 125,000 miles, without a single injury. The Graf Zeppelin had successful cruises around Spain, Europe, the Middle East, the Arctic and a round the world trip with stops in Tokyo, Los Angeles and Lakehurst. After the Hindenburg disaster, the Graf Zeppelin was retired in 1940 after only 9 years of service. The Hindenburg itself had made 15 successful journeys with only 35 casualties during its last notorious flight. Goodyear formed a brief association with Zeppelin and in 14 years, 94 airships carried 405,526 passengers over 4 million miles. Between 1920 and 1930, rigid airships dominated the sky as long distance transport carriers. There were 163 airships of different varieties moving cargo, an industry since overtaken by jet aircraft. Many of the passengers like you who endure these flights would like to experience a new relaxed mode of floating a slow speeds, and a low altitude, over some of the most beautiful terrain in the world.
Slow Down. Float. Devour Africa with a bird�s eye view. Open the window. Breathe deep. Pop the cork. Chat with the captain. Watch the herds watch you.