Blimp Crash In Germany

 

1. Since I am in the area of the Goodyear headquarters in Akron, I have heard some additional info on the radio the last couple of days. The blimp is not an actual Goodyear blimp, but rather a leased one. It is also not the same design as the ones used in the United States. I salute Mr. Nerandzic for his efforts of dropping down so the three passengers could jump out at about six feet off the ground, and then took the blimp away from the survivors so it would not fall, burn, or crash on them. Too bad he could not have made it out too. Here is a link to a larger article in the Akron Beacon Journal. http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/123796114.html

   Posted by BaldEagle       06/14/2011  at  09:49 AM  



2. Thanks for the link BaldEagle.

   No, the blimp leased from LightShips that crashed was a smaller blimp, and not owned by Goodyear, though it was regularly employed by Goodyear. The one that crashed was even named in a similar fashion to the Goodyear ships( “The Spirit of ..."). Lightship Group LLC was a joint venture between the American Blimp Company (ABC) and Richard Branson, but ABC bought Branson out 9 years ago.

   I did not put in the bit about the propellers hitting the ground because that’s only speculation at this point - and propellers 3 feet in radius won’t be hitting the ground when the ship is still 6+ feet up in the air. We will have to wait for the investigation report.

   An A60 Lightship is actually an ABC Spector19 model with internal illumination. They light up at night. This blimp is 129 feet long, carries 4 people, and has 2 80hp Limbach engines.

   The GZ-20 blimps that Goodyear owns and operates are 192 feet long, carry 6 passengers, and use twin Continental 210hp engines.

   If you compare pictures of the gondolas A-60 vs GZ-20 you’ll see design differences as well as size differences. The designs are quite similar though.

   Not being a blimpist myself, I couldn’t say what caused this accident. But some speculation is that a bounce off the ground broke a fuel line and started the fire. According to one forum, an A60 doesn’t have a ballonet, and that all blimps put the gas tank above the gondola. News to me. I would have put them outside, but perhaps they are vulnerable there. I can’t see how a blimp can work without a ballonet, unless the envelope can expand and contract like a balloon, and it carries extra helium tanks and a powerful pump for them.

   Blimp anatomy here.

   Posted by Drew458       06/14/2011  at  03:44 PM  

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