Oct 25, 2008 2:44 pm US/Pacific
Zeppelin Flies To New Bay Area Home
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5 / AP) ―
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Airship Ventures Zeppelin NT.
CBS
Many San Francisco Bay Area residents are getting their first chance to see a zeppelin, a blimp-like airship that hasn't been seen in American skies for more than 70 years.
Airship Ventures' Zeppelin NT arrived in the Bay Area on Saturday and is heading to its new home at Moffett Field in Mountain View.
The California startup company brought iconic aircraft back to the United States and plans to offer aerial tours of the San Francisco Bay area in a newly built zeppelin. It is the newest and perhaps most expensive way to go sightseeing.
"It is not my grandfather's zeppelin," said Brian Hall, President of Airship Ventures.
On its way to San Francisco the zeppelin stopped in Tucson for FAA certification.
When asked if it was a blimp, Hall said, "This is not a blimp. Inside the envelope, there is a frame."
Smaller, soft-sided blimps usually don't carry much more than a pilot.
But in the 1920s and 30s, zeppelins provided a luxurious way to travel. That all changed in 1937 when the Hindenburg exploded as it arrived in Lakewood, New Jersey. Thirty-five of the 96 passengers on board were killed, and travel by airship died too.
Then, a decade ago, the Zeppelin Company in Germany redesigned the classic airship. The result is the Zeppelin NT, which stands for 'New Technology'. It's about a third the size of the Hindenburg, but still bigger than a 747. The ship is filled with non-flammable helium, not the explosive hydrogen that brought down the Hindenburg.
The takeoff is gentle and nearly silent. At the controls is an experienced zeppelin pilot from England, Katherine Board. The best thing about flying an airship she says is that it always seems to make people happy.
"You get such a great view and everyone is always pleased to see you," Board said.
The Gondola is big enough to carry twelve passengers and every seat is a window seat.
In November, Airship Ventures plans to start offering rides that provide a bird's eye view of wine country, the Big Sur coastline, San Francisco and other parts of the Bay Area. Tickets start at $495 per person.
At that price, it's likely most people will settle for admiring this elegant airship with their feet firmly on the ground.
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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