The Skyway Poll

[Ocklawaha]

GET THOSE SKYWAY OPIONION POLLS DONE FOLKS!

(Damn! I need my big purple crayon for that one)

Anyway, Gatorback, for all of my clowning about the new Zeppelin Aircraft field, believe it or not, it's a REAL thing. The first will be crossing the Atlantic any time now. They are just waiting on FAA approval... Something hung up about that damn Hindenberg or something. They'll have to prove to the FAA that Helium doesn't burn. If you want to see the prototype ships (already about a dozen) look online for ZEPPELIN AIRSHIP, or ZEPPELIN NT. Very cool. The only reason I am half way serious about them is the planned Zeppelin cargo ships will carry some 15-25 containers each. They will use as much fuel from Europe to Jacksonville (for example) as a 747 uses going from the gate to the end of the runway before takeoff. Add to that that those containers will be moving a 4-5 times the speed of ocean shipping and something like 20-30 hour service becomes a reality. Now yes, to all my fellow comics, this has met with REAL troubles in the past. Flying the Akron and Macon into gales with 1920's type instruments probably wasn't too smart. Filling the Hindenberg with Hydrogen (shades of JTA hybrid plans) then dragging WET mooring lines on a pavement full of metal tie - downs, at the end of an unstable day of electrical storms wern't too smart either.

But for the sake of argument, if Zeppelin pulls this off, and I think they will. Watch not just Jacksonville, but the whole South and Southwest, stand back and say: "Uhh Huh? Why'd they go and build the damned terminals in Akron, and Lakehurst, and Oakland...we NEVER get anything good!" I'm not saying make an all out Mayor/Council attack on getting Zeppelin (though California has), I'm saying a nice letter, welcome package, maybe a tour of the town, dinner and such is in order. We once had Lighter-Then-Air-Ships, Mayport, NAS or Cecil had portable masts, FRANCIS LTA base out by World of Golf Village, was a REAL LTA base. Brunswick, had a huge operation... (yes fella's I'm THAT OLD, I remember being in the hangers, and seeing the massive blimps). Bananna River, and Richmond, Florida were also home to the great ships. The Hindenberg even wintered here once, she took up the whole hanger with only 5-15 feet to spare... (*Okay, I'm not THAT OLD) but I know it happened.

So just for the sake of argument, worst thing that happens is we get a base for a VERY unique tourist attraction, people on the way to the Mouse-Sun combo down South, stop for a day or a week for a cruise, and a REAL ZEPPELIN ride. Small change maybe, but unique enough to be one of a few World sites. BEST? Well if the plans come to a success, we stand to be the 3Rd largest Container Port in the Eastern USA. What would it say for us if we were also the ONLY one at the party, that could get your high priority containers overseas in 2 days? The JIA and JAA would go sky-high, the JPA would look like a beacon in a World of "also ran" ports. It COULD happen...

Now that y'all have read the sense behind the jokes, time for that Skyway Quiz... I'll follow it with a quiz on the R-101, LZ, LTA, Graf and Italia...  Spppt spppt spppt spppt! Weee this helium is fun!

Ocklawaha

[gatorback]

Ocklawaha I know you're serious.  This is exciting times we live in.  We could actually see that in our lifetime.  And I believe that it totally could work.  I was excited as a child to ride in one of the what, two Goodyear dirigibles, years ago--way before blimps where commoditized, now every sixteen year old whore has a blimp. I think I rode in Freedom in 1973 or '74. Add to the survey: 1) have you ridden in a blimp, 2) have you ever turned down riding in a blimp (my mom did, I guess she was afraid of flight, and 3) would you pay $40-50 to take a 45 minute ride.  Goodyear blimps are small.  They only seat like 10 people.  The insurance cost would prevent you from making any money.  I wonder how much money Goodyear looses flying those old things around.

Landing a blimp in fog or wind is tricky.  Sure you could fly from Paris to Jacksonville in a day or two,  but it might take you weeks to land in that wind.