Our adventure started at the Goodyear flight facility in Carson, California. Rides on the Goodyear blimps are available at the invitation of the company only. We learned that less than 1% of the population have seen a blimp and less than 1% of those have taken a ride on a blimp making us part of very exclusive club!! Here's Sue with the blimp coming in for a landing behind her.
The Spirit of America was christened September 5, 2002 during a ceremony in Akron, Ohio. The name of the ship was chosen as a tribute to the patriotic spirit of the United States. Performing the christening was Mrs. Letitia Driscoll, mother of NYPD Officer Stephen Driscoll, who was killed in the South Tower of the World Trade Center on Sept.11, 2001.
Four pilots direct operations of Goodyear’s California-based airship - Jon Conrad -Pilot-in-Charge: shown at left was the pilot for our flight.
Four pilots direct operations of Goodyear’s California-based airship - Jon Conrad -Pilot-in-Charge: shown at left was the pilot for our flight.
In addition to the four pilots, the Spirit of America operation has a crew of 16 including aircraft mechanics, radio and television technicians, riggers, heavy-duty maintenance mechanics, ground handlers, and a public relations manager. Three support vehicles complement the blimps operation, including an 18-wheel tractor-trailer mobile maintenance vehicle, a 22- person MCI bus, and a nine-passenger van.
The craft holds a pilot and six passengers. There are three rows of seats. One passenger sits next to the pilot, two in the second row with a walkway between them and three seats in the last row. You can stand up fully in the cabin and no seat belts are required. Once everyone was seated and hooked up with communications equipment we were off.
There isn't a takeoff roll like a fixed wing aircraft. The two gasoline powered engines create 210 horsepower each. The blimp noses up at a startling angle as you can see in the photo at right and climbs rapidly.
We were at our cruising altitude of 1,500 feet in no time. The engine nacelle can be seen at the left side of the photo. No propeller can be seen as the engines are "pusher" configuration so the propeller faces rearward. Just ahead of the engine nacelle you can the the landing field we have just departed from . In the center of the asphalt circle is the tall metal mast that the blimp is attached to went not being flown.
The Los Angeles River crosses the 405 freeway at right. Our cruising speed of 30mph was a little faster than the Friday afternoon 405 traffic. When our ride was over about 6pm we took the 405 to Dana Point. 30mph sounded pretty good in that log jam.
Passengers from an earlier flight, saw whales off the coast toward Catalina. Because the marine layer was moving in we got the scenic Long Beach route:) This was still an extraordinary experience even without the whales.
What looks like my grandson's sticks of chalk are transport trailers at the Port of Long Beach.
So who's flying while these two are hamming for the camera?
Actually at 30mph, things happen pretty slowly and since the blimp is nearly as long as a 747 other aircraft wouldn't have any trouble seeing us!
Actually at 30mph, things happen pretty slowly and since the blimp is nearly as long as a 747 other aircraft wouldn't have any trouble seeing us!
The Queen Mary in Long Beach Harbor. The ropes hanging down from the front (and rear) of the blimp are used by the ground crew to maneuver the blimp on the ground.
Sue passed up her chance to kiss the ground,
so I guess she enjoyed the flight!
Ours was the last ride of the day so the blimp was secured for the night. The ground crewman that draws the short straw climbs the mast and makes the connection to the nose cone of the blimp while the rest of the crew maneuver the blimp into place. Sand bag ballast are attached to the bottom of the gondola.The single pivoting wheel at the bottom of the gondola allows the blimp to weather vane into the wind.
