Staffordshire airships on mission to aid international medical charity

Straightline Aviation, based at Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green Airport, is preparing to run a fleet of next-generation hybrid airships around the world, providing cheap and 'green' transport in hard-to-get-to places.

But the first airship off the production line will be provided to US charity RAD-AID, to help transport X-ray machines, medical scanners and doctors to people who would normally have no access to their help.

From isolated communities from Africa to Alaska, to those hit by natural disasters, the RAD-AID Straightline medical airship programme will bring vital technology to help diagnose injuries and diseases like cancer.

And that strikes a very personal note with Straightline boss Mike Kendrick, who is currently recovering after a two-year struggle against two cancers – both detected by medical scanning technology.

And he has committed Straightline to helping RAD-AID secure sponsorship and support to finance the operation of the medical airship service, which is due to launch in 2018/19.

"I have personal reasons for making this happen," said Mr Kendrick, aged 70. "My life has been saved recently by the early detection and treatment of two separate cancers.

"Most of the world's cancer victims do not have the benefit of these essential services, they just die. My life is no more valuable than theirs, and while these hybrids can do a lot of amazing things, there is nothing quite as satisfying as seeing their capabilities applied to this kind of humanitarian use."

Originally from Wolverhampton and now living in Bridgnorth, Mr Kendrick ran the balloon operations for Richard Branson's Virgin group.

He is now behind Straightline Aviation's ambitious plans to run a fleet of Lockheed Martin's new LMH-1 airships around the world.

But two years ago his life took a dramatic turn. "I went for an MRI scan for suspected prostate cancer and they also diagnosed another cancer, a lymphoma. It was considered more serious than the prostate, so I underwent surgery and then radiation treatment, which was unpleasant but it saved my life. I then had my prostate removed – it was quite an aggressive form of the cancer – and had another eight weeks of radiation treatment.

"The lymphoma was in my neck, so the treatment affected by taste, saliva glands and my hearing – I'm still a bit deaf. But it made me realise how much we take our national health service for granted. In places like Tanzania or India they would not be able to detect the cancer until the patient was near to death. The facilities just aren't there.

"Even in more developed places, like Alaska or Northern Canada, people live in isolated communities that are enormous distances from any medical scanning facilities.

"So when RAD-AID approached us I was very interested indeed to see how we could assist them. We have already attracted some donors that will be able to help fund the operation and we are hoping they will be able to use the first machine off the production line."

RAD-AID's already has 5,200 medical professionals volunteering their skills to provide imaging technology assistance to people in more than 20 developing countries.

The hybrid airship will, effectively, be able to transport a complete medical clinic anywhere in the world, providing scanning as well as vaccinations, screening and treatment for common diseases including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, HIV, tuberculosis and hepatitis.