Video: Zeppelin Flight Experience from Long Beach

Just in time for our upcoming trip to Long Beach, we have posted this video of the experience on YouTube.

Join us this Memorial Day weekend for Los Angeles area flights from Long Beach.

We even have an opportunity to experience the "Ultimate Drive Down the Coast" flight as we transit the airship between Moffett Field (San Francisco) and Long Beach (Los Angeles).

You can book online, or speak to reservations at 650-969-8100.

Video: Masting the Zeppelin NT

Last year on the Covering Communities Tour, we took advantage of having a pair of GoPro cameras during our stay in Philadelphia to shoot video of a masting -- from the perspective of the mast!

We placed one camera near the funnel on the top of the mast head looking out, and a second camera at the base of the mast head looking up.




Thanks go to David Knight of Big Moving Pictures for taking the raw video and editing it into this draft form for sharing.

Air Quality Environmental Research via Zeppelin

D-LZFN, Mainz, Germany

Captain Oliver Jaeger sent us this picture of newly re-built ship #2, D-LZFN, during a transit stop in Mainz, Germany. The ship is on a mission conducting atmospheric science for the PEGASOS Project (Pan European Gas AeroSOls climate interaction Study)

If you look closely, you'll see the "top platform" mounted high on the ship. This platform contains some of the instruments being used in the mission. The platform itself weighs about 130kg, and loaded with all the instruments for this mission, just under 500kg. Additional equipment is mounted inside the gondola.

The equipment in the top platform is being used to measure:

• Hydroxyl radicals (OH radicals): the “detergent of the atmosphere”, which triggers the degradation of most pollutants.
• Aerosols
• Substances that play a role in forming and degrading the OH radical and are found in aerosol chemistry (NOx, ozone, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide).

You can learn more at the PEGASOS blog.


This project first started back in 2006-2007, with the development and testing of the top-platform. Further air quality measurement flights were conducted in Germany in 2008-2009. In the current 2011-2013 campaign, the ship will head for the Netherlands (current trip), followed by a Southern trip to Italy (June/July) and then finally a Northern trip to Finland (April/June 2013).

For those that have interest in doing similar research with the Zeppelin NT in North America, please contact our Special Missions group.

Video: NASA Ames Helps Search For and Study Sutter's Mill Meteorites

Branding Resumes

Just as the branding works was about to be completed last week, we were interrupted by the Meteorite Mission. I think everyone agrees the delay was well worth it!

Branding work resumed over the weekend.

Almost done!

To Fly...

650-969-8100... Almost!

Akron of 1911

Jan Cayot, a reader of our blog, sent us this interesting picture he had found of an early American airship. Jan sent the photo off to a museum in Akron, Ohio, and received this description of the airship from the curator of the museum:

Dear Mr. Cayot,
This is a wonderful photo of the American semi-rigid airship “Akron”. Melvin Vaniman, a well known American photographer, persuaded the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in Akron, Ohio to finance the ship. It was named “Akron” and was completed in autumn 1911 and made a short trial flight in the first week of November. Then the “Akron” was laid up for the winter break and some modifications were made, especially to the auxiliary equipment. In summer 1912 Vaniman made some demonstration flights and tests. On July 2, 1912 the “Akron” left Atlantic City with Vaniman and three other crew members and headed out to sea. Fifteen minutes later the envelope exploded and the airship crashed into the sea killing all four men on board. The cause was never established, probably there was a problem with a new type of valve.
Kind regards,
Jürgen Bleibler
Curator

(Update: Jürgen is associated with the Zeppelin Museum in Friedrichshafen, Germany)

Young Eagles

At this time last year, we created this artwork to support a Farmers Airship sponsorship of the EAA Young Eagles annual fund-raising gala. The message is as powerful today, as it was then – inspiring youth to explore aviation.

8-Bit Tracking the Ship

The new Nintendo Quest Mode of Google Maps is awesome!

Check out the ship tracker...

Zeppelin Wunderkammer iPhone App

Wunderkammer 3pc - Neue Kommunikation Category: Education Updated: Mar 17, 2012

There's an app for that?

The Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen has released an iPhone/iPad app called "Wunderkammer" (they translate it as "Cabinet of Curiosities").

Wunderkammer is available for free in the iTunes App Store.

I can say, if you are a Zeppelin fan at all, at some point in your life you should make the visit to Friedrichshafen to see the museum, as well as to enjoy all the beauty and relaxation a trip to the Bodensee (Lake Constance) area provides. The museum includes a full scale 1:1 replica of the passenger section of the Hindenburg that takes up a vast part of the building which is worth the admission alone.

In the meantime, load this app and experience it from afar.

New vehicle logo

Our vehicles are now sporting updated airship ventures branding.

Helium Fill

We're nearing the end of the annual maintenance period and it is time for the ship to be filled once again with helium. We preserved about 5500 cubic meters via external storage bags, which will be reduced in volume further after removing impurities. A further 3-4000 cubic meters that have been delivered by truck will complete the fill.

Pinhole Inspection Day

Today is pinhole inspection day in the forward ballonet. We use bright lights inside the ballonet, lights out inside the main envelope, and look for stars of light.

Matthew sends this picture where you can see the ballonet and forward air blower.

Jon Stewart Escapes via Zeppelin

You don't see this every night on TV.

On a segment of the Colbert Report, if you watch closely, you'll see Jon Stewart make off with stacks of cash (that Colbert wants back) via Zeppelin.

Frankly, I think Colbert needs his own Zeppelin.

Colbert, we can help. Really.

Skip to about 3:30 in the video for the portion of the segment with the airship escape.

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

Pressure Testing Longerons

Testing of the aluminum longerons is now complete, and they all tested good. There are 39 longeron pressure test points which are located inside the ship. When pressure checks out correctly, it indicates structural integrity of the section (ie, no cracks, holes or fractures).

Annual Maintenance Underway

Our annual inspection is underway, and the helium is now drained from the ship. Before that, the ship was prepared for the drain by removing the engines and fins, and then supporting the ship from below with braces attached to hard points on the frame.

So far, so good! We are on schedule.

This year we also have a large amount of decal work to do. In addition to removing the former brand, we will be applying a new brand! Can't wait!

Boeing Does Digital Skywriting Right

These guys have style.

Last week Boeing took a 787 out for a 19 hour test flight, and wrote the following "digital message" in the "virtual sky" over a good section of the US.

You can find more details at the FlightAware web site.

Video: Airship Adventure over Orange County

Airship Adventure Over Orange County from Rob Elliott on Vimeo.

This past weekend we did a 2nd test flight over Orange County, Irvine, the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks and Lake Irvine areas. Rob Elliot created this video of his experience on that flight.

This particular flight departed from Long Beach Airport and was a 2 hour tour.

To really do it the OC way, you can imagine this would be best done from the former MCAS El Toro facilities at Orange County Great Park. In that case it could be a choice of a 45 minute tour north (including Lake Irvine) or a 45 minute tour south (out to the sea).

Thanks for sharing!

Where is Eureka Today?

Call Center White Board

On the 28th, San Diego, Montgomery Field...

News 8 flies over San Diego in giant Farmers Airship

We arrived in town Thursday for the Farmers Insurance Open, and San Diego CBS-8 was there to cover it. Watch the full video for actor Robert Hays, a private pilot and well known from the movie "Airplane", angling for a chance at the helm...

Dodger Stadium

Avalon Harbor

Avalon Airport, Santa Catalina Island

John Wayne

Strawberry Farms Golf

Native Species Seed Farm

Boy Scout Camp

Santiago Creek flowing into Irvine Lake

The Sinks

The little grand canyon of orange county.

Orange County Great Park

Tustin Hangars

Los Alamitos

Plotting Course for Irvine Ranch

We are doing a test flight over Irvine Ranch today. Look for us in the skies over Orange County.

WW2 Newsreel: Blimps Fly in Formation

 Airship Al sent us this neat WW2 era newsreel showing blimp training at Moffett Field.

Making Shot Bags

Shot Bag Production Line

It is 2012, and Matthew is ringing in the new year with a set of new shot bags.

The materials are in, and the blanks have been cut. In this cottage production facility, they can make a few dozen a day. Each shot bag is 10kg (about 22 pounds).

AeroShell Time

Keeping Time in the Maintenance Trailer

Santa Monica Pier

Beach Party

RGB Complex

Red, green, blue. Not the real name, but that will do.

Pasadena City Hall

Shadow Time

Camera Test

We are out today over Pasadena and surrounding area to conduct a pre-game camera and downlink test.

Here is the video monitor for the pilot.

Cemetery

Hospitality Area

Check out the mini football field - 50 yard line only?

Rose Bowl Stadium

Purdy: There is, too, a local team in the Rose Bowl

Two for two?

Check out the San Jose Mercury News today.

Columnist Mark Purdy gives us a shout out as the "local team" in the upcoming Rose Bowl this Monday.

Mark had the chance to speak with Will Spivey, mechanic/inspector (and former defense for San Jose State Spartans), and Ben Travis, Pilot for the story.

As to who will end up on top - Wisconsin Badgers or Oregon Ducks - we shall soon know!

Will Spivey, mechanic/inspector for Airship Ventures, with a camera adaptor ring that is used when the zeppelin hovers over sporting events providing TV coverage. At Moffett Field in Mountain View Wednesday Dec. 21, 2011.
The crew that flies the zeppelin will be flying over the Rose Bowl game on January 2nd providing TV coverage.
(Photo by Patrick Tehan/Mercury News)

Morning Paper

A good way to start the day - a cup of coffee and Eureka on the front page of the paper. We are here in Long Beach thru the middle of next week offering passenger flights and to provide aerial tv coverage of the Rose Bowl.

Palos Verdes Lighthouse