5-Apr-2013 Source: HeliHub.com
Dutch shipyard Feadship is currently conducting pre-delivery trials on their largest superyacht to date – the 99m long ship known as “Project Dream”. In their press release they indicate that “Experience of a different kind underpinned some of the other special requests for this latest member of the Feadship fleet. Leveraging on the expertise accrued on 81-metre Air, launched in 2011, and the fully enclosed helicopter hangar which was developed for 86-metre Ecstasea from 2004, project name ‘Dream’ is the second Feadship to feature such a certified helicopter storage system“. Relatively unusual in the luxury yacht world, the yacht’s helipad is on the bow rather than the stern.
The hangar features two doors split down the hull’s centre line, each parting to the side to accomodate the owner’s new Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin. A hydraulic helipad then raises and lowers the aircraft, with its blades folded back.
Within the 99m of the hull is not just a below-decks hangar, but luxury accomodation for twelve in six suites and crew quarters for 36 people. Cruise speed of 24 knots is assisted by a relatively narrow hull
The distinctive sky-blue hulled yacht is scheduled for handover mid-April. Currently known as “Project Dream”, the ship has a temporary name plate held on ropes over the real name. HeliHub.com understands that the yacht will be officially named “Gu” or “Madame Gu”, and will replace a 2006 build superyacht “Gu” which was 58m in length and regularly to be seen at the French port of Antibes.
Paperwork requirements meant that after the helicopter was test flown by Eurocopter France as F-WWOC, it was then put on the Isle of Man register as M-MMGU with the bold titles “Madame Gu” – see photo. This helicopter was seen on the ship yesterday at Harlingen (see photo), and now sports a Monégasque registration, believed to be 3A-MGU. The blue stripe on the helicopter matches the blue of the ship. It is Eurocopter serial 6959.
Further information and specifications for the ship can be seen at the following links
Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com
