Virgin Unveils First Ever 'Flying Submarine'

By Timon Singh
From http://www.euinfrastructure.com/

The Necker Nymph

Not content with conquering the air with Virgin Airlines and space with Virgin Galactic, Richard Branson is now making a play for the deep blue sea with an 'underwater plane'.

Named the 'Necker Nymph', this sleek looking submarine allows divers to go to 40 metres below the surface and swin with the fishes in such a nimble way, it is like "flying underwater".

According to Virgin Limited Edition, Branson's boy's toy division, the submarine can even perform 'dolphin-like flips' out of the water.

However while this may sound like a fantastic way to scare surfers, it is not cheap. As you'd expect, this toy is for the super-rich only and costs $25,000 for a week's charter and another $88,000 for the sub's superyacht launch vessel, "Necker Belle."

The only way to whalewatch

Designed and built by renowned engineer, Graham Hawkes, of Hawkes Ocean Technologies, the $631,000 sub actually utilises fighter jet technology in its design. Unlike all conventional subs which use ballast to sink in the water, Necker Nymph uses downward ‘lift’ on the wings to fly down to its desired depth.

Its cockpit also gives divers a 360-degree view of marine life and unsurprisingly Virgin is marketing it as a way to view whales, dolphins and other marine life up close. It is also environmentally friendly as its buoyancy prevents it from landing on reefs and its advanced noise emission technology ensures it doesn't disturb the ocean's ecosystems.

Like Virign Galactic's SpaceShipTwo, Branson's foray into space tourism, the Necker Nymph is the British entrepeneur's latest addition in 'adventure technology'. It seems that while Branson may have a private island, a superyacht and a spaceship it seems he won't be content till he has conquered every possible environment, above and below the waves.

If you're rich enough and curious about renting the Nymph, potential deep-sea divers must take half-day safety courses beforehand and can then dive for up to two hours at a time. You will also have to follow standard SCUBA procedures and will be trained/accompanied by a certified Necker Nymph pilot.