Eureka lands at Long Beach Airport. Photo by Gary Robbins, The Register
Countless people craned their heads to the skies recently when Zeppelin Eureka, the world’s largest airship, slowly drifted over Seal Beach and Huntington Beach during its maiden visit to Southern California. It’ll happen again, and fairly soon. The zeppelin’s owner, Airship Ventures, says it sold out all of the seats on the flights it recently operated out of Long Beach Airport. So company founder Brian Hall has decided to bring the 246-foot Eureka back, holding local commercial flights July 2-7. (The airship is homeported, so to speak, at Moffett Field in Northern California.)
“We’ve already sold a charter and more than a day’ss worth of flights for the return trip,” Hall said in an email. “It is looking like the trip may end up sold out before we even start it this time! We plan to kick that off with a skydive on the first day, and will be offering an evening ‘fireworks flight’ tentatively scheduled for 8-10pm on the 4th.
“We’ll also be offering 2 hour “Hollywood Flights” after the success of the version we tried on the previous trip (and discovered that 2 hours was more than enough time to get to Hollywood and nearby sights).
(Call 650-969-8100 for ticket information.)
By the way, Hall says he’d like to have another zeppelin built for his company. The reader who suggests the best name for such an airship will win an excellent science book. Send suggestions to grobbins@ocregister.com
Some of the names suggested so far: Humanity, Led Zeppelin, Epiphany, Pegasus, Gondolous Megalofous, Unleaded Zeppelin, Delphinadie
The semi-rigid Eureka is filled with non-flammable helium and travels at about 35 mph as it travels roughly 1,000 feet above the ground. Image courtesy of Airship Ventures
- Video: Orange County viewed from the gondola of Eureka
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Gary, do you know how much tickets for this cost?
“Oh the humanity…”
I saw her flying around the Hollywood / Burbank area. Very nice.
According the company’s website,
http://www.airshipventures.com/tours-los_angeles.php, or you can drill into it by clicking on the link in Gary’s article:
“A limited number of one and two hour flight experiences are available. Pricing from $375 per person plus taxes when two people book together. 60 and 120 minute flights available!”
The best name for its sista ship has to be: “Led Zepplin”
I still like the “Goodrich” blimp as best.
GoodYear
$800 for a ride for 2.
If you have to ask how much..U can’t afford it…can say this tho Its great for tossing water balloons out of….besides if god wanted man to fly..he would have given us free tickets…
When was the last time you heard someone say…
When I grow up I want to be a Zeppelin Pilot.
And it’s the GOODYEAR BLIMP!
WW -
The Goodrich Blimp is a joke.
BF Goodrich had a marketing campaign in the 70’s and early 80’s that was intended to distinguish themselves from Goodyear.
The commercials joked about the “Goodrich Blimp”. It featured people looking up into the sky in a fruitless effort to find the “Goodrich Blimp”.
The tag line went something to the effect of, “See that blimp in the sky? We’re the other guys.”
I don’t know..I just have a feeling this is going to end in disaster.
According to the San Francisco Examiner, the zeppelin is no longer allowed to fly directly over the S.F. Zoo because it freaks out the animals. True story. It flies over my home near SFO several times a week and it’s noisy (louder than a small plane).
SFBay Area Guy: I believe you. But I’m surprised to learn that Eureka is loud. I flew in Eureka about 10 days ago and thought it was really quiet, and I also was on the field when it landed and heard very, very little noise.
“World’s biggest airship”, How big?
How about posting some statistics on length, height, volume, etc.?
KeithM: The first paragraph says the airship is 246 feet long. And there’s a hotlink directly to the airship and its stats.
I think the thing is an eye sore, a modern a Spruce Goose.
Gary,
How about “Airship California”?, or “Eureka 2″?
That’s a thing of beauty to me!
Thanks for the story!