The hydrogen-filled airship Hindenburg exploded in 1937, killing 35 of the 97 people on board. It was one of the two largest airships ever. It was 245 meters long. That’s two and half soccer pitches!
Who flew the first airship?
Frenchman Henri Giffard flew the first airship in 1852. It had a propeller driven by a small steam engine. Giffard travelled 27 kilometres at 8 kph.
Amazing! In 1802 Frenchman Andre Jacques Garnerin jumped from the basket of his hot-air balloon above London. He floated safely down under a parachute. It was the first successful parachute jump.
Is it true? The first non-stop round-the-world balloon flight was in 1999.
Yes. Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones flew the Breitling Orbiter 3 from Chateaux D’Oex in Switzerland, and crossed the finishing line in Mauritania 19 days, 21 hours and 55 minutes later. Piccard and Jones finally landed in the Egyptian desert.
Are airships used today?
Today small airships fly above major sporting events. They carry television cameras to give viewers a bird’s eye view of the action. They often have huge advertising displays on their sides.
Picture Credit : Google