Airship Facts
Ameriquest Soaring Dreams Airship News Coverage
Avid Spectator
On April 5, 2005, the Ameriquest Soaring Dreams Airship took to the skies during the ceremonial launch at Dodgers Stadium in Southern California to begin the nat ionwide tour celebrating the philanthropic efforts of The Ameriquest Soaring Dreams Airship Project.
Providing panoramic views of the landscape below and hovering at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the Ameriquest Soaring Dreams Airship is the ultimate vehicle for capturing the excitement of outdoor events including sports, concerts and county fairs around the country.
History Buff
Adventurous men and women began flying in balloons and airships
before the plane was invented and long before radios were built.
In 1852, Henri Giffard engineered and flew the first powered
airship, which consisted of a 144-foot-long, cigar-shaped gas
bag with a propeller powered by a 3-horsepower steam engine.
The Ameriquest Soaring Dreams Airship is one of the only two airships in the U.S. that has the ability to hover, making it the ideal vehicle for viewing special events. It?s also one of the largest airships in the country.
Free Floating
There are three types of airships — rigid, semi-rigid and
non-rigid. The Ameriquest Soaring Dreams Airship is non-rigid.
This version, often called a “blimp,” is comprised
of a balloon or, in airship terms, an “envelope” filled
with helium gas to lift it off the ground. A gondola houses the
cockpit, engine and passengers.
The Ameriquest Soaring Dreams Airship typically flies five days per week soaring above sporting events and public celebrations nationwide.
Super Sized
Measuring 206 feet in dynamic length when airborne, the Ameriquest
Soaring Dreams Airship is almost as large as a football field
and employs a crew big enough to fill all the positions on
a football game.
It includes restrooms and comfortably seats the pilot, co-pilot and up to 8 passengers in leather seats. Its panoramic windows provide sweeping views of the scenes below.
Pleasure Cruise
Although it can fly up to 58 miles per hour, the Ameriquest Soaring
Dreams Airship typically cruises at 35 - 45 miles per hour.
It takes approximately two to three weeks to fly from coast
to coast.
Not only is an airship one of the most spacious types of aircraft, but it has the unique advantage of being able to stay airborne for long periods. Whereas fixed and rotary aircraft measure flight time in hours, an airship can stay aloft for days.
Safe, Sound
The Ameriquest Soaring Dreams Airship can fly without refueling
for up to 13 hours. If all power were lost, the pilot can
descend the airship as if he were flying a balloon. Historically,
non-rigid
airships like the Ameriquest Soaring Dreams Airship have
the best safety record of any aircraft.