A typical Sunday morning for me might include a trip to the Heart of the City Farmers’ Market, or brunch if I’m not sleeping in on my day off. This morning was different. It had a sense of impending adventure. An Airship Venture to be exact. The night before, I’d received a call about my scheduled flight and how it was potentially jeopardized due to foggy weather; a typical problem for my atypical day. But by morning conditions were favorable and I was given the green light to complete my mission – a ride in the zeppelin that floats around the Bay.
I’m not obsessed over air travel per se, but every time I’d see this gargantuan beast in all its bulbous beauty as it sauntered through the sky in a carefree way, I’d think back to when I was a kid watching the third Indiana Jones movie (Last Crusade) where Harrison Ford and Sean Connery share some misadventures fighting the Nazis. In the movie, you may recall, their blimp was so fancy, it even had room to accommodate an upscale restaurant.
I’d stare into the sky, focused on the little compartment underneath with the windows, and wonder to myself, “That couldn’t hold a restaurant, could it?” Had Hollywood played tricks on my young, impressionable mind? I had to know. Besides, how cool would it be to look down on our beautiful San Francisco in slow motion from that archaic and rare mode of transportation? It was time to meet the behemoth in the sky.
Before I get any further, I should set you straight about the difference between a blimp and a zeppelin. I didn’t know myself and made the mistake of using the terms interchangeably. If you took the Goodyear blimp and deflated it, it would lose its shape. Blimps are pressurized airships. Germany’s infamous zeppelin, the Hindenburg on the other hand, is considered a rigid airship. It has an inner framework.
Airships are widely known to have military origins. Blimps, which are now better known as vehicles for advertising, were used by the U.S. Navy between 1920 and 1950. They were primarily employed in antisubmarine and reconnaissance roles. On the other hand, zeppelins were used as warships during World War I to conduct bombing raids over England and other allied countries. Luckily, my zeppelin experience would be much friendlier.
My ride, a Zeppelin NT named Eureka, had an inner structure made up of aluminum and carbon fiber. I knew this because Dave, a chatty self-described transient surfer with Airship Ventures’ guest services staff, was full of information about the ship. He knew that the Eureka was filled with nonflammable helium (the lightest element on the periodic table) and that, thankfully, the ship could even withstand a lightning strike. Indeed, this was the stuff dreams were made of.
In fact, the zeppelin staff were all really friendly. I knew I was in the right hotel banquet room when I saw a mostly young, kinda nerdy-looking crew, adorned in their company jackets embraced in a preflight huddle meeting. I was there early, so I kicked into fly-on-the-wall mode and chose not to engage with them quite yet. Instead, I eavesdropped on the shuttle driver who was trying to flirt with the concierge. She had Harvard dreams and he told tales of watching a friend spin soul 45s just the night before.
Eventually, a group of mostly gray-haired people started to stroll in. I guess that shouldn’t have surprised me considering the cost of the tour. This wasn’t just something you do on your day off (although that’s exactly what I was doing). At $495 per person for the one-hour tour, it would be a pretty damn special way to say I love you. There was a younger couple in attendance celebrating their anniversary, but honestly I felt like one of those kids from the Make a Wish Foundation who had been granted an untimely final request. In reality, I had lucked out and scored a press pass.
The staff prepared us for the flight by way of an informative meeting that included charts, maps, picture binders, and even complimentary coffee and cookies. Eventually, we were driven to the Oakland Airport. It was time for takeoff.
We would be departing from a hangar once used by Amelia Earhart; at least that’s what we were told. It was a fitting anecdote considering our pilot was female. She would take us on our 35 mph journey aboard one of only three zeppelins in the world. Eureka appeared in the distance as we stood by on the grass. The zeppelin made an interesting flapping sound as she loomed over us – never quite landing, hovering instead – as all 12 passengers carefully boarded at a staggered pace to make sure the ship’s equilibrium would stay intact. Even though she was slightly bigger than a 747, I could see by now that there would be no restaurant involved.
The inside of Eureka resembled an airplane cabin. The seats were plush and there was a single aisle just like any commercial aircraft, but there were some striking differences. The cockpit, for instance, was clearly visible for all to see. I made sure to snap some photos of what I could only imagine were some important navigational tools and gauges. There were knobs, colorful buttons, and blinking lights. The wraparound window in the back included its own loveseat! Some of the windows actually opened.
Once we had lifted off, the passengers’ behavior bore no resemblance to normal plane decorum. It was as if the seniors had suddenly turned into a bunch of misbehaved children. There were no flight attendants eager with authority telling us to have a seat and fasten our belts. The sound of a photo frenzy ensued as we were allowed to walk about freely to take pictures. Even I got caught up in the hysteria as I snapped shots of the breathtaking beauty down below. It was sort of freakish to stick our hands out the windows at such an alarming height.
If Indy were in charge, things would have been different. It wasn’t like that scene in the movie where he sends a dude hurling through the window after giving him a right cross for not having a ticket. No, on this airship, there weren’t many rules.
We didn’t go over my neighborhood like I had hoped, or much of San Francisco for that matter. Instead, after crossing above the Bay Bridge we got glimpses of what looked like tiny versions of Treasure Island, Angel Island, and Alcatraz. We rode the perimeter of the city from the Ferry Building up to the Marina before heading north and back east again. Given how small SF is, we still got great shots of downtown, City Hall, and the Legion of Honor.
The ride was so calming. I didn’t wear headphones or feel the need to distract myself from the reality of insane people or obnoxious phone conversations as is the norm on Muni. I couldn’t get over how much of a departure it was from my accustomed mode of transportation. It was completely serene. I wanted to take it all in for what it was and live in the moment.
It all happened so fast. An hour went by like rapid fire, which I guess is a good sign that I was having fun. I didn’t really need more. I was satisfied with experiencing such a privilege. When we got back to the hotel, there was more decadence to be shared with official-looking certificates of completion for all and a choice of champagne or Martinelli’s for a toast. I chugged my sparkling cider, rushed back to BART, got off, and strolled home.
A one-hour flight on Eureka departing from Oakland is $495 per person, so it’s probably a good idea to look out for Airship Ventures’ couples discounts. Singles, aviation enthusiasts, thrill seekers, and photographers will all get a kick out of the tour. There’s also a two-hour ride that leaves from the South Bay at Moffett Field for $950 per person. Check out Airship Ventures' website for more information.
Sign in with Facebook
Sign in with Twitter
SFGooner
I have always wanted to do this!
When I was a kid, it was a major event on our block when the Goodyear blimp (noting the difference between blimps and zeppelins) would fly over our house on Clayton Street.
Out of their minds kids would run screaming outside, "The blimp, the blimp", running until they could not longer see it.
Run Your Mouth