April 2009 sighting taken from the car |
For us in the bay area – since 2008, a random look unto the sky and we find ourselves saying – is that a bird? No, a blimp? No, it is a Zeppelin! To be more specific, it is the Zeppelin NT! I have seen it many times already touring the skies of the bay area – on our way to work or back or when I peek out of my 15th floor office window. We had heard about the Zeppelin coming to the bay area on radio sometime in Oct 2008. When I first saw it, I remembered the radio show and googled it to confirm that it was the Zeppelin I saw, not a blimp. The price tag for a ride – and it seats 12 passengers in their own window seats – ranges from $375 for a 45 minute bird’s eye view of the Silicon Valley up to $950 for 2 hour trips in the Bay area. We should make a trip to Moffett at least to see the Zeppelin NT from outside – and if turns out to be really too good to miss, might make a trip. And if I do, I will definitely share the experience with all of you. Right now, I might just see it from the outside and post a few photos of it. Until then, I am happy looking up into the skies and viewing it. Obviously, people are making trips else so many of us on the ground would not be seeing it in the skiesJ and it is good to know this – in any economy.
Some facts: It is bigger than a Boeing 747. Zeppelins were always launched with the words “luftschiff hoch!” meaning “airship up!” . This was the fourth Zeppelin NT made by its manufacturer – Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik (ZLT).
You can look at the website below for more info and to book tours:
If you do book the trip, do post your experience and let me know.