Tickets for San Francisco Bay Area Tours Now On Sale

Airship Ventures announced Monday that the largest airship in the world, the 246 foot long Airship Ventures Zeppelin has left Hamburg, Germany aboard the 530 foot-long container ship "Combi Dock I" and is on its way across the Atlantic.

One of only three such Zeppelins in the world -- and the first to come to the United States -- the airship is expected to arrive at the port of Beaumont, TX on or around October 12. The ship will then be off-loaded, and after some re-assembly and flight checks, flown cross country.

The historic journey will take the ship through Texas, New Mexico and Arizona before entering California at Banning Pass. Traveling up the coast for a dramatic San Francisco entrance through the Golden Gate Bridge, it will then land at its new home -- the historic airship hangars of Moffett Field -- some two weeks after arrival at the port.

"There is nothing quite like a ride in the Zeppelin," said Brian Hall, Airship Ventures president. "Imagine being gently lifted into the sky, a birds-eye view of life 1000 feet below. You will gain a new perspective of our world, and your place within it. We call it an "Altitude Adjustment."

Alex Hall, Airship Ventures CEO continued, "While this historic flight represents the start of operations here in the United States for the Zeppelin, it is the culmination of nearly two years of hard work by teams at both Airship Ventures and Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik."

Scenic "flight-seeing" tours will be offered aboard the Zeppelin from several Bay Area locations, with itineraries showcasing the San Francisco Bay/Silicon Valley, Sonoma/Napa wine regions, and Monterey/Big Sur coastline. The airship will also be used for a variety of technological and scientific research missions.

The spacious cabin comfortably accommodates the pilot, flight attendant, and up to 12 passengers with luxury features including oversized panoramic windows, an onboard restroom with window, and a unique 180-degree rear observation window and "love seat" that wraps the entire aft end of the cabin.

Round-trip rides from historic Moffett Field will begin in late October 2008, with flights from Oakland International and Sonoma County Airport starting in November. Ticket prices vary based on flight duration and destination, starting at $495 per person. Packages are available for group charters, corporate events, and custom tours.

The Zeppelin NT07 airship, carrying up to 12 passengers, will be the largest airship flying in the US. The Zeppelin NT ("New Technology") was manufactured in Germany by Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik GmbH. At 246 feet in length, it is more than 50 feet longer than the largest blimp.

FMI: www.airshipventures.com