Financial high flyers can now escape the credit crunch by taking to the deep. The latest to take delivery of their own personal submarine is Tom Perkins, the one time head of Hewlett Packard and owner of the world’s largest sailing superyacht, the 289ft (88m) Maltese Falcon.
Deep Flight Super Falcon, the newest vehicle in the Deep Flight series of submersibles, has been designed specifically for the superyacht market and makes the technology leap from underwater balloon (sinker) to underwater flight. This fourth generation winged submersible built by Hawkes Ocean Technologies, benefits from the experience in the design and build of over fifty advanced sub-sea vehicles. This toy has a reputed price tag of $2m – small change when compared to the $180 million that Maltese Falcon is currently on the market for. Powered by 7kWh lithium phosphate batteries, they provide 5 hours of operational use before re-charging.
The sub’s moulded pressure hull is a thick wall, pre–buckled carbon and glass/epoxy structure, with two enclosed cockpits, each with bubble hatches, providing near 360º viewing for its two occupants. These visually disappear underwater, creating a unique open experience totally unlike the tiny viewing windows in conventional submersibles, which tend to be claustrophobic. Equipped with fly-by-wire controls, she can be piloted from either cockpit, to provide single pilot or combined control.
Designed to ‘fly’ underwater to a maximum depth of 1,500ft, Deep Flight Super Falcon’s patented winged design gives the craft unprecedented agility, transforming the elevator experience of conventional submersible dives to an exhilarating flight through blue space offering, 360º balletic barrel-rolls beneath the waves. To read this article in full, click here. This article and pictures are available for reproduction at standard editorial rates.

Click here to view a selection of images of the craft. PPL also has a vast collection of images of Maltese Falcon, which can be viewed by clicking here. To purchase any of these pictures in high-res or for further information, contact Bryan Benjafield at PPL Media on +44 (0)1243 555561 or e-mail studio@pplmedia.com