French company Flying Whales will decide this year where it will locate its massive airship factory. The Trois-Rivières, Drummondville and Sherbrooke regions are the finalists for this project that will leave no one indifferent.
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“These three websites are the best in comparison [aux critères] “This is what we identified,” Flying Whales Québec CEO Arnaud Thioulouse told the Journal at the company’s offices in Montreal.
Arnaud Thioulouse in his office in Montreal. Photo Sylvain Larocque
Flying Whales, in which the Legault government invested more than $75 million, initially examined 15 potential sites before trimming its list to five and then three sites.
“Initially a lot of people said, ‘Ah, this is aviation, we’re going to put it next to the airport,’” says Mr. Thioulouse. But no, that's not what we're looking for. Above all, we want space.”
In fact, flying whales would prefer not to be near an airport to avoid the huge airships hindering air traffic.
Lack of space in the metropolis
In order to find land large enough to meet its needs, the company had to leave the Montreal region.
“Even on the south coast there is no land of the right size,” says Arnaud Thioulouse.
The latter did not want to specify the area required for the project. However, note that the first-ever Flying Whales factory is set to be built on 75 hectares of land in France. That's the size of a hundred football fields, but less than half the size of the land Northvolt acquired last year for its future battery factory (170 hectares).
Flying Whales wants to make its decision this year so that it can then begin planning for the construction of the factory. The company hopes to receive tens of millions of dollars in government aid for this project. Last year, Mr. Thioulouse held two discussions on this matter with the Federal Minister for Innovation, François-Philippe Champagne.
The aim is to begin producing airships in Quebec in 2027, just months after receiving certification from European and Canadian regulators.
At the chosen location, Flying Whales will build a factory for parts production and two huge hangars where the aircraft will be assembled. In addition, a circular launch zone with a diameter of more than 200 meters, i.e. the length of airships, will be set up.
“There will be a flagpole in the middle. The airship is attached to it and, depending on the wind, we position ourselves on the correct axis. Then we will release it and there it will fly,” explains Mr. Thioulouse. According to him, “it is not impossible” for future facilities to be built relatively close to populated areas.
Figure shows the planned Flying Whales installations in France. Photo from Laruscade Town Hall website
Controversy in France
In France, Flying Whales' planned factory in Laruscade is dividing residents of this town north of Bordeaux. Some fear the noise and the “devaluation” of their property, others consider it “a grandiose project”.
Last fall, an environmental agency issued a negative opinion on the project, which would lead to the destruction of 58 hectares of fauna and flora. However, the community maintained its support for Flying Whales, emphasizing that the company had promised to improve its environmental offset program.
“Of course there are concerns if something happens in front of your house,” comments Arnaud Thioulouse.
Arnaud Thioulouse at the Flying Whales offices in Montreal. Photo Sylvain Larocque
In his opinion, once completed, Flying Whales' avant-garde installations will inspire pride among Quebecers and could even become a tourist attraction of sorts.
“It’s still an architecturally exceptional building,” he says.
“It will spark curiosity in a way.”
Flying whales in just a few appointments
2012 Founding of Flying Whales
2019 Quebec is investing $22 million in the company
2020 Ottawa is preventing Flying Whales from setting up in Quebec because the company's Chinese partners have since left the company
2022 Quebec invests $53.5 million in Flying Whales; The company opens offices in Montreal
2023 Quebec will pay $8 million to Flying Whales and one of its suppliers, Thales Canada
The Flying Whales LCA60T airship at a glance
Photo flying whales
- Length: 200 metres
- Diameter: 50 meters
- Maximum speed: 100km/h
- Flight limit: 3000 meters
- Payload: 60 tons
- Quebec based suppliers: Pratt & Whitney Canada, Thales Canada, Delastek
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