1982 Lynx Helicopter Conversion Is Definitely a Good Bet for World's Strangest "Motorhome"

The idea of turning decommissioned aircraft, whether old airliners or helicopters, into homes isn't new, to be sure.

Over the years, there have been several notable attempts, including launching a new business for the housing sector. The highest selling point of these conversions, aside from the sheer novelty of living inside an airplane-shaped home, was that they offered a proven, weather-resistant, and highly durable basis to work on, with integrated electrics and plumbing.

On paper, an aircraft conversion is a very convenient way of creating a most ingenious – and awesome-looking – home. In reality, it's a long-lasting, costly, oftentimes discouraging challenge, so reserved for the bravest of heart and deepest of pockets.

The reason these conversions never went beyond novelty is that they are too expensive, and, ironically, it's not the aircraft that takes the biggest toll on a budget. That's actually the easiest part of the project because decommissioned aircraft sell at prices set by their weight in metal.

But once you're the owner, transporting the body to your desired location and then turning it into a comfortable habitat come in, and they're bound to drive the budget through the roof.

Logically, the smaller the aircraft, the smaller the costs. An airliner could be turned into an oversize family home with all the space and comfort you could ever want, but transporting it entails huge costs, cutting the body into sections, and even getting special road permits to move it. A helicopter could be transported with less hassle and for less money.

That probably explains the high number of such helicopter conversions in the UK, with former Lynx military aircraft being a favorite. This one, offered as a rental glamping unit out of Ream Hills in Lancashire, England, is one of them: a bird with considerable history and serious experience in its previous life, now peacefully welcoming as many as four guests at once.

Most Lynx helicopter conversions usually sleep two guests on considerations of space, so this one might be an exception. Its interior is just as compact as what you'll find in other Lynx conversions, so don't expect lavish rooms and fancy features, or else you might just forget you're sleeping in a military helicopter. Ex-military, but you get the idea.

This is a Westland Lynx helicopter, an X-ray Zulu 676 model that was built in 1982 and was in use with the Royal Navy, seeing action in Kosovo and the Gulf War. You wouldn't be able to guess much of its history by looking at the aircraft, as only the camo exterior, tail number, and propellers have been kept.

The interior was completely gutted, in part because it's standard procedure when decommissioning military aircraft and in part to make more space inside. This explains the 4-berth capacity, which is actually a fixed 2-berth one with the possibility of creating two more bunks in the lounge in the front. So you have a main bedroom-like area at the rear and the lounge slash kids' bedroom in the front.

The lounge takes up the space where the cockpit was once. Also here is a small kitchenette with a sink (also small), a microwave, a mini-fridge, and, of course, a kettle. You can't just visit the English countryside and not imbibe the full English experience, which includes lots of cups of freshly brewed tea.

You can enjoy your cuppa and whatever small meal you can microwave on the outside terrace, a wooden deck built specifically for this purpose and attached to the main entrance. It's a very ingenious way of adding to the available living space, allowing you to take in the views, including that of your unique accommodation unit.

Add-on decks are also pretty standard with tiny houses. Here too, it's one of those small things that can make a huge difference, so worthy of consideration, should you ever feel tempted to try your hand at such a conversion.

There is no restroom or any kind of bathroom facilities inside the helicopter glamping unit; after all, you can only squeeze in so many things inside! A restroom and shower unit is available on-site. Ream Hills also offers a "wakepark" with wakeboarding, paddle boarding, and open-water swimming during the summer months.

If your holiday plans don't include a trip to the UK, we can still make the most of this Lynx conversion, just in a different way.

Like other similar conversions or glamping options, this project also shows how you can compensate for the downsides of an upcycling project, including expanding available space and making the most of the surroundings to make the experience unforgettable. Assuming sleeping inside an ex-military aircraft is not unforgettable enough, that is...