Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson invests in 'world’s largest aircraft'

Frontman for Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson is also an airplane pilot, with a license to fly commercial aircrafts, flew the band on their last few tours around the world, and you can even purchase a flight simulation of a 737 with the man himself. So what next? Investing in what will be the biggest aircraft in the world.

Reported by the BBC’s Top Gear website, the heavy metal madman has invested $450,000 on a 91.4-meter-long blimp-like airship project called the HAV Airlander. Not just any airship, the Airlander is 18.2 meters longer than a Boeing 747, and powered by four turbocharged V8 diesel engines that produce 350bhp a pop and power a cluster of propellers in the back. Due to its size and weight however, the Airlander tops out at 100 mph.

Rolling Stone noted the U.S. Army had been working on the HAV Airlander until it ran out of funding. The hope was to use it as a surveillance tool, as it's capable of staying in the same spot for 21 days at a time. It can also fly with bullet holes in it.

Being able to lift 50 times more than a single helicopter, the British company’s goal is to sell the Airlander to oil and mining companies that need to transport heavy cargo and equipment to otherwise difficult-to-reach parts of the world. Another expressed idea for use would be to carry relief efforts to and from disaster zones. Developers are hoping to have it finished and ready in 2016.

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