Here is an interesting review of a Zeppelin flight over the San Francisco area. http://home.comcast.net/~bzee1b/Zeppelin/Zeppelin.html
I live in Silicon Valley and frequently see the Zeppelin traveling to and from its home base at Moffet Field. (Moffet serviced American airships in the 1930's and still features a super-giant airship hanger.) Haven't seen the new Zep in several weeks though, perhaps it's off visiting another part of the country which it sometimes does. It was pretty striking at first, I just stood there staring at it. It sits massively and incongruously up there in the sky, emitting a quiet droning sound. Here's some photos.
Thank you for this posting. I have ridden in hot air balloons, gliders, float and ski planes, a huge Russian military helicopter . . . but never a zeppelin or a blimp, although I came this || close once, when I did extensive consulting with a Goodyear blimp pilot seeking a degree, in exchange for a ride, but it was too windy on the appointed day, and the opportunity never arose again. $500 for an hour is pricey...but for 3 times that, one can fly on one of their 8 to 10-hour 'repositioning' flights between SF and LA, and for six times that, you get a day of pilot training, and, the next day, the opportunity to fly it, in the command seat, for half an hour. This has officially gone on my wish list.
