Future test pilots from the U.S. Air Force and other countries tested their lighter-than-air flying skills during an airship flight evaluation for the Air Force Test Pilot’s School (AFTPS) that we held last month in Long Beach, California.
The AFTPS encourages students to fly as many different aircraft as possible – jets, small planes, helicopters, and in this case, our fly-by-wire, Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) airship, the Zeppelin NT-07 Eureka.
During the one-day Zeppelin training school, select U.S. Air Force pilots learned the theory and technique behind flying a 246-foot-long Zeppelin in ground school, and then put it into practice during a flight over the Pacific Ocean. Each student flew the airship at a variety of speeds and practices hovering using the airship’s vectored thrust engines.
For those not quite ready to enlist, we also offers similar school to members of the public who are current private or commercial pilots. The pilot experience for civilians is a two-day course which includes learning about an airship flight from Zeppelin pilots, stick time in the cockpit, and a behind-the-scenes look at Airship Ventures and airship operations.
For more information on Airship Ventures Pilot Experience visit http://www.airshipventures.com/fly-with-us/pilot-experience
