Thursday, April 14, 2016

L Is For Lighter Than Air: Aeros and Its Dragons In the Sky #AtoZChallenge

aeroscraft.com

Sky Dragon - watch the video!
Air freighter prototype Dragon Dream outside of her lair. She was damaged when part of the hanger collapsed.

Say the words "blimp" or "airship" and three things typically come to mind: the Hindenburg disaster, advertising dirigibles (like the Goodyear blimps) or steampunk. 

When I was growing up, a Goodyear blimp visited our local airport every summer. Its engines had a distinctive thrum, and since we lived quite near the airstrip, she was very low going over the house and cast an enormous shadow. It was thrilling beyond belief.

So I was ecstatic when I learned that a company called Aeros Worldwide was still actively building airships for advertising, tourism, and surveillance (Sky Dragon can carry close to a ton of radar, electronics and other equipment). They also designed and built Dragon Dream as a massive cargo-lifter, able to transport large quantities of material over the globe. Sadly, part of the roof on her WW2-era hanger collapsed and damaged her.

Worldwide Aeros Corp is an American manufacturer of airships based in Montebello, California. It was founded in 1992 by the current CEO and Chief Engineer, Igor Pasternak, who came to America from Ukraine and is following his dream of designing and building airships.

 

7 comments:

  1. Fascinating. Good luck with the rest of the AtoZchallenge.

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    1. Thank you! I've fallen behind again but hope to catch up with visits Monday. Sorry for the delay!

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  2. Interestingly, I read only yesterday of a new venture in which Sir Richard Branson and others will invest in Lockheed Martin airships for commercial purposes - freight mostly, but potentially passenger also (though the Atlantic crossing would probably take a lot longer than it currently does) - https://waa.ai/kcjv

    Keith Channing A-Zing from http://keithkreates.com

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    1. Thank you for the info! I wonder, however, if the burgeoning traffic in drones will pose a problem for large airships. They aren't as nimble as traditional aircraft in avoiding midair mishaps.

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  3. And it's called the Dragon! Now that is too cool.

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    1. That's actually what caught my attention - the name "Sky Dragon" in a tiny little blurb in one of my magazines. (Pop Sci or Pop Mech, perhaps).

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  4. play bazaar
    Interestingly, I read only yesterday of a new venture in which Sir Richard Branson and others will invest in Lockheed Martin airships for commercial purposes - freight mostly, but potentially passenger also (though the Atlantic crossing would probably take a lot longer than it currently doesSatta Bajar

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