Learn How to Fly Underwater!
Bahamas

"If Jules Verne was alive he would give Graham Hawkes a standing ovation."

Here is what is likely to be the most exciting piece of news about diving and technology that comes around perhaps only once in a decade...

It is a time to take a deep breath and look deep into the ocean in a very different way. Here is a vehicle to do just that, and it's not a Jules Verne epic.

Graham Hawkes, one of the world’s leading marine engineers, has designed and built perhaps the most astonishing vehicle that flies underwater (like flying an F-18 underwater - see attached images) capable of reaching a depth of 1,500 feet.

The Deep Flight Aviator is a two-person, winged submersible with two, individual pressure hulls.  The two pressure hulls are fitted, in tandem, to a low drag, winged submersible craft. The crew is housed in a recumbent position with standard geometry acrylic spherical sector domes. With electrically powered thrusters, the Deep Flight Aviator emits no pollution.

While conventional submersibles are often considered slow, bulky, stiff underwater balloons, the Aviator is a lightweight, highly maneuverable, high-powered composite airframe with wings, thrusters and dual flight controls. Hence, the similarity to an F-18.

In addition, this craft does not operate on the same concepts as a submarine, rather, it is flown in much the same way a pilot flies a plane.  There is mechanical linkage from Joy Stick and rudder bars to pitch, roll and heading control surfaces. Both pilot and crew have a full set of (dual) linked controls and must be fully capable of operating the winged sub, its life support (rebreather), communications and navigation instruments. 

The Deep Flight Aviator is designed for longer-range explorations, compared to the typical manipulator type work mode of conventional submersibles. 

This sub flies underwater at speeds up to 10 knots. On average, the Aviator can stay submerged for four to six hours or more, depending on the amount of energy exerted during the dive. It accommodates two people, sitting one in front of the other, with each diver/pilot having full control of the sub. It has been designed so that pressure remains at one atmosphere, even at 1,000 feet, negating the need for lengthy decompressions.

The images of the Deep Flight Aviator I am sharing with you here are the first ever published.

People that join our training school will use the new Deep Flight Aviator, a two-seat exploration craft literally built to fly underwater. The trainee pilots will be flying down to 1,000 feet, making low pass explorations. Upon successful completion of the three-day course, the pilots will be issued the first ever "Sub Sea Aviator" license. A video of you and your flight underwater will also be provided.

The license will clear pilots to participate in future Deep Flight Aviator expeditions with a "crew" designation. With the accumulation of additional sub sea flight hours, the "crew" designation will be removed and a full pilot license can be obtained.

The Aviator is the most recent craft in the Deep Flight series of winged submersibles designed by Graham Hawkes. Deep Flight I, launched in 1996, was the prototype winged submersible that proved the concept of underwater flight. Deep Flight I was followed by Wet Flight, which was built to be a highly maneuverable underwater filming platform to film the IMAX film, 'Dolphins: The Ride.' Deep Flight I was a featured subject in National Geographic.

The third submersible in Graham Hawkes’ development, Deep Flight Aviator’s first water testing is planned for September 2003. Now people like you and I can learn how to pilot this incredible winged submersible.

The Aviator will open up countless, diverse types of original explorations and adventures, including film opportunities. From exploring deep shipwrecks to barrel rolling with whales and dolphins, the Aviator pilot and crew have a new world to explore. The Aviator is only limited by human imagination...and I need one!

If you want to know more about Graham Hawkes, the Aviator and the Flight School, please feel free to contact me using the information below.

"If Jules Verne was alive he would give Graham Hawkes a standing ovation." What will you do if you have the chance?

See you in the deep.

Ready to join us on our next trip?
With your Flight School application and your deposit of $5,000, you will receive a phone call and written confirmation of your reservation from our office. You will also receive a detailed Expedition Preparation Bulletin.

Read our related article in Popular Science magazine.

If you know someone who'd like be interested in this trip, you can email this link to them.

All photographs by Amos Nachoum. Copyright © 2002. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.