San Francisco Bay from an airship

[planedriver]

View of San Francisco & Bay from an AIRSHIP

 

If you had to pay for a flight it would have been $495 per seat.

 

These pictures are awesome.

 

http ://home. comcast .net/~bzee1b/ Zeppelin / Zeppelin . html

 

Some of the comments under the photo's I found very interesting, especially regarding an extra 80kg of lift if the sun raises the gas temperature by 1 degree.

 

 

[DGL Fox]

Thanks for showing us your photo's, as you say, awesome shots and if I am ever in San Franciso again I will definately put it on my to do list.

 

David

 

 

[planedriver]

They're not my photo's David, I had them sent to me by email and posted them here for others to enjoy.

 

Alan

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Thank you PD for the tour, many memories there for me. I lived in the SF Bay Area for around 12 years, and my daughter was born in SF. I also worked both the Oakland International ramp, and the Oakland North Field airport ramps, plus flew in and out of the Hayward airport when doing a bit of GA flying there. The Oakland North Field of course was the starting point for Smithys flight across the pacific and also used by Amelia Earheart. Also one of the few airport in the US where the Concorde was allowed to land. I saw many Blue Angel demos there also during "Fleet week" which was usually in. October. Great overhead shot of Alcatraz, showing clearly the open exercise yard and seating/steps which were used promently in the movie made there with Clint Eastwood. Alcatraz is a great tour anytime, but it took us ten years to get there also !...the coast guard Island shot reminds me of the time the cops rounded up a whole heap of east bay based hard-core bikers, after one of their leaders had been arrested. They took them to the coast guard island for added security !..

 

The treasure island reclaimed island shot was also going to be the site of the first SanFrancisco airport, but they chose Mills field instead . It was used for a time as the base for the China Clipper seaplanes, and as I recall there is still a small control tower there somewhere. The now decommissioned Alameda naval base is the site used often in myth busters for car stunts etc.

 

I did a lot of ocean kayak racing in the bay, including the Angel island regatta which started and finished at Jack London square. I would train with friends out of aquatic park in SF after work, and we would paddle (race!) around Alcatraz Island which took about 20-30 minutes each way depending on tides. We would rest on the lee side near the chimney, and you could still see many Indian inscriptions put there by the Indian nation when the 'claimed' it in the 70s. We also experienced the memorable Loma prieta earthquake, so it is interesting to see the repair efforts which are still going on, with the bridges and freeways etc. Tanks for the memories, and the great tour !!...............Maj...

 

 

[DGL Fox]

Ok PD thanks for posting..

 

 

[fly_tornado]

my fav SF picture

 

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Yes that is a great photo, and for those familiar, has quite a few interesting facets to it. The town of Sausilito on the bay north of the Golden Gate is already a good size. The circular Aquatic park, probabily where Otis Reddings' song 'sitting on the dock of the bay' was inspired, is still much the same. Ships 'standing off' in that same area waiting for a pier, which doesn't happen now. The flat area just below the GG bridge which is part of the Presidio Army area on the water, was an army landing ground once used by Charles Lindbergh during his US tour. Alcatraz no doubt in full swing, possibly with residents the 'bird man' and Al Capone. The large silver tank back from aquatic park, either a fuel or gas storage, no longer there, and of course the general lack of high rise buildings in the 'downtown' area. This is that classic era when all those great dockside mystery and detective movies were made with the SF fog in the background and the fog horns singing out their songs. And a rare no fog, no cloud day for that area.The China Clipper as they were called, appears to be heading in the wrong direction however !.........Maj...

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Ah, SF bay and local area. Many enjoyable hours spent flying around this marvelous area. Flight Sim, of course but all those places photographed were include. Oh for the days of Flight Unlimited, the best localized area flight Sim ever produced. So much better than the Microsoft FS series. The video below only shows a fraction of the scenarios available. Full ATC audio and radar flight tracking with realistic diversions to avoid AI aircraft. Hundreds of Easter Eggs to be found, even low down sound(road traffic, football stadium crowds roaring etc) Wish it would work on Win7, I'd reload it in an instant.

 

[media=vimeo]65228218[/media]

 

 

[planedriver]

Thank you PD for the tour, many memories there for me. I lived in the SF Bay Area for around 12 years, and my daughter was born in SF. I also worked both the Oakland International ramp, and the Oakland North Field airport ramps, plus flew in and out of the Hayward airport when doing a bit of GA flying there. The Oakland North Field of course was the starting point for Smithys flight across the pacific and also used by Amelia Earheart. Also one of the few airport in the US where the Concorde was allowed to land. I saw many Blue Angel demos there also during "Fleet week" which was usually in. October. Great overhead shot of Alcatraz, showing clearly the open exercise yard and seating/steps which were used promently in the movie made there with Clint Eastwood. Alcatraz is a great tour anytime, but it took us ten years to get there also !...the coast guard Island shot reminds me of the time the cops rounded up a whole heap of east bay based hard-core bikers, after one of their leaders had been arrested. They took them to the coast guard island for added security !..The treasure island reclaimed island shot was also going to be the site of the first SanFrancisco airport, but they chose Mills field instead . It was used for a time as the base for the China Clipper seaplanes, and as I recall there is still a small control tower there somewhere. The now decommissioned Alameda naval base is the site used often in myth busters for car stunts etc.

I did a lot of ocean kayak racing in the bay, including the Angel island regatta which started and finished at Jack London square. I would train with friends out of aquatic park in SF after work, and we would paddle (race!) around Alcatraz Island which took about 20-30 minutes each way depending on tides. We would rest on the lee side near the chimney, and you could still see many Indian inscriptions put there by the Indian nation when the 'claimed' it in the 70s. We also experienced the memorable Loma prieta earthquake, so it is interesting to see the repair efforts which are still going on, with the bridges and freeways etc. Tanks for the memories, and the great tour !!...............Maj...

I knew from previous posts that you spent some time there Ross, so hoped you'd enjoy the pics, as well as others.

 

I noticed that this blimp has the motors up and away from the gondola, which should be a hell of a lot quieter than the old one I went on.

 

Kind Regards

 

Alan

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

It looks like a nice Zeppelin Alan, the Count Von would be proud !..........................