Wolfgang's photos with the keyword: Europe

Only 3 ground crew are necessary to bring the Zeppelin in the right landing or starting position. Therefore the personel costs are lower and the turn-around times are minimal. For the start, the nose is uncoupled from the mast truck. For landing, the airship is manoeuvered into the desired position. For masting, the noseline is coupled with the mast line, winched in and hydraulically locked on the mast.

The cockpit is an open and high-tech workplace with the most modern avionics. The “Fly-by-wire“ control system with side-stick relieves the pressure on the pilot and allows precise manoeuvres. The cabin can accommodate the pilots and up to fourteen passengers and lift them skywards.

There are five actives zeppelins flying worldwide, two in Friedrichshafen/Germany and three in USA using as a flying advertisement shield for GOODYEAR. As we'd the fly in a Zeppelin we'd the occasion for the view to the other.

During the landing of the other Zeppelin, we're waiting in low altitude for our landing. The next passenger group ready for boarding the next flight. The Zeppelin NT defines a new dimension in gentle and exclusive flight tourism.

We look to the last small town on the lakeside of the Lake Constance to Langenargen and its fontain before we set on landing at the home port in Friedrichshafen.

A view out the side window of the Zeppelin shows one of the swiveling propellors which are necessary to stir the airship up and down and to the left and right. The two forward propellors swivel to 120° and the aft one to 90°, and a fixed aft lateral propeller give a high level of manoeuverability, and enable smooth, quiet flight and impressive fuel economy. Some of the unique flight characteristics come from the swivelling propellers, like vertical take offs, precise landings, hovering over exact locations, turns on its axis and flying backwards.

Look down to the Lake Constance a lonely sailing boat and a gull seen out the zeppelin window. Nether the less there were thousands more boats on the lake.

The harbour of Lindau was the destination of the Zeppelin flight before we returned back to the home port in Friedrichshafen. Lindau’s harbour entrance draws visitors from far and wide. The Bavarian Lion and the New Lighthouse stand majestically against the impressive backdrop of the Alps and Lake Constance. The town’s is renowned for having the most beautiful harbour entrance on the whole of the lake and can now see from the bird eyes view.

Seen Lindau main street In Der Grub and the church Münster Unserer Lieben Frau nearby the Protestant church St. Stefan. The Zeppelin flow in an altitude of only 200 meters.

Out the window of a zeppelin view of the island Lindau at Lake Constance in Bavaria.

Wasserburg am Bodensee (don't mix up with Wasserburg am Inn) is one of the three Bavarian municipalities on the shores of Lake Constance. It is a well known resort, sought out for the supposedly healthy nature of its atmosphere.

The Zeppelin NT is certified for single pilot operations, the second seat is often used by a flight attendant during tourist operations. One captain controlled the Zeppelin. He explained us passengers how to fly the airship and the function of the instrument panel the handles, screens and displays.

View back out the rear window of the Zeppelin NT seen the city Friedrichshafen. (NT is the meaning for "new technology")

The other Zeppelin had his flight to Ravensburg and we're going on to Lindau. The last view out the Zeppelin window to the second Zeppelin in Friedrichshafen. On the ground seen the agricultural fields as corn, wheat and other grain.

Boarding the airship is more problematic than other aircrafts. Depending on the configuration, 12 or 14 passengers can be accomodated in the comfortable passenger gondola. There are two seats on the flightdeck, naturally for the pilot and flight attendant. The boarding is mutual. When two passengers leave the airship then two new passengers can board it, and so on ...

Some people say, the Zeppelin NT is a lighter-than-air aircraft. That is why the German, Swiss and Austrain people say "fahren". This is not quite correct. The Zeppelin NT takes off with a static weight of approx. 350 kg. Therefore, it is heavier than air and that means the Zeppelin is flying, in German language "fliegen". A hot-air balloon is a lighter-than-air aircraft. The Zeppelin NT climbs using its three engines, whereas a balloon climbs solely by means of helium or hot air.