New adventures in tourism

This blimp like vehicle can travel at 100 miles per hour, and has the ability to hover over an item of interest for hours on end without disturbing what is underneath very much. Initially most of the vehicles will probably carry large amounts of freight to remote locations, but it can use pneumatic tubes to lower itself to the ground so that people can disembark without the need of a runway. Tourism may be one possible use for this vehicle.

Presumably hovering over the capital building, golden gate bridge, Manhattan, or Hugh Hefner's mansion will not be appreciated.

What kind of tourism do you think this will inspire?

I think if it has an open deck we should presume that altitudes will remain at 10,000' or lower so we should rule out Yosemite, the Alps, and the Himalayas. I think we can rule out beds, so that 36 hour trips from JFK to London will be unlikely. You would probably disembark from airports in warm weather locations and have something to look at most of the time you are in the air.

1) Tour of Mayan Ruins from Cancun
2) Grand Canyon
3) Copper Canyon
4) Panama to Bogota
5) Los Angeles to Las Vegas with set down outside of casinos
6) Huntington Beach to Catalina Island (30 miles)
7) San Francisco to Wine tasting country
8) African veldt

Quote: Pacomartin

African veldt

Eco-tourism. Think of the hunting/tourism camps and restaurants now serviced by Moan based financially fragile airlines taking tourists into the hinterlands of Botswana. Its the major air hub for large airliners but all passengers and freight get to the various lodges by small planes able to do short take offs from rugged runways occasionally visited by wild animals and drunks.

Every year British hopefuls invade the place to get a few pilot jobs.

The trouble of course is that weather can be a real problem for a blimp/rigid airship. Small planes might be able to out run the weather, dirigibles can't.

Quote: Fleastiff

The trouble of course is that weather can be a real problem for a blimp/rigid airship. Small planes might be able to out run the weather, dirigibles can't.

Also, not sure what kind of wind currents over canyons and mountains might occur. Maybe that's why I've seen so few blimps in those areas. AFAIK>

For heavy construction equipment, a slow speed blimp might help, but rich tourists want a pleasant not dangerous flight.

Quote: Fleastiff

For heavy construction equipment, a slow speed blimp might help, but rich tourists want a pleasant not dangerous flight.

People have been predicting a comeback for some time now.

The Blimp is Back (October 1990)

I think half days tours of the Grand Canyon would be the perfect use for such a blimp. It could float around so it won't be a long-term eyesore for any one place. For the same reason people ride the High Roller, it could be used to give tours around Vegas, or any major city. I don't see it as a practical way to get from point A to point B.

Perhaps the blimp boosters ought to resort to sympathetic magic and name their next zeppelin the "SS JESUS."

:)