I.S. (that would be Inside Sonoma) didn’t know whether to lede with a reference to “Oh the humanity…” or something about the Battle of Evermore. Since neither would be in good taste, IS will just put it this way:
A BLIMP IS COMING TO WINE COUNTRY!!!
That is if you believe press releases, and we do. All of them.
The gist of it is that a company will be bringing a Zeppelin to California, and part of the time it will fly up here to wine country. Sonoma County Airport will be the stop, which is great, because then you can moor right over Sonoma-Cutrer’s vineyard and peep the croquet action.
We’ve posted the whole press release, in it’s concept-album entirety, below. For those of you who make it to the end, a link to how to pair wine with Led Zep!
MOFFETT FIELD, Calif., Sept. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Airship Ventures today announced 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.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080929/LAM068)
One of only three Zeppelins in the world, and the first to come to the USA, the airship is expected to arrive at the port of Beaumont, Texas, on or around October 12. The ship will then be off-loaded, and after some re- assembly and flight checks, flown cross country.
One of three remaining Zeppelins in the world
The historic journey will take the ship through Texas, New Mexico and Arizona before entering California and crossing the Rocky Mountains 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.
Brian Hall, Airship Ventures president, commented “There is nothing quite like a ride in the Zeppelin. 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.
Pricing and Availability
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.
For more information about the Airship Ventures Zeppelin, or for ticket availability, visit www.airshipventures.com, or call 650-969-8100.
ABOUT AIRSHIP VENTURES, INC.
Airship Ventures Inc., founded 2007 in California, is a privately owned corporation formed with the objective of bringing Zeppelin NT airships to the USA for “flightseeing” tours, media and science mission operations. Initially based with one ship in California, over time the company intends to have a number of airships operating throughout the USA.
ABOUT THE ZEPPELIN NT AIRSHIP
The Zeppelin NT07 airship, carrying up to 12 passengers, will be the largest airship flying in the US. A marvel of modern airship design, the Zeppelin NT (“New Technology”) was manufactured in Germany by Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik GmbH. Powerful engines, state-of-the-art avionics, and fly- by-wire flight controls enable the airship to perform maneuvers similar to those performed by helicopters, including vertical takeoffs and landings. At 246 feet in length, it is more than 50 feet longer than the largest blimp. Using the inert gas helium for lift, and vectored thrust engines for flight, the Zeppelin NT has been flying with an unparalleled safety record since 1997, in Germany and Japan.
Airship Ventures is a trademark of Airship Ventures, Inc. Zeppelin is a trademark of Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik GmbH & Co. KG. All other product and brand names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
SOURCE Airship Ventures, Inc.
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Easter egg: I promised it, so here it is: Pairing music with wine, and so forth.
By far my favorite feature is the airborne restroom with a window. That alone is worth the price of admission.
But, I am a little worried about getting lost since these folks claim the Rocky Mountains are in California: “…before entering California and crossing the Rocky Mountains at Banning Pass” Yikes!
Inside Sonoma, all of our bathrooms have views of rolling hills lined with vines and studded with grand oaks. Off in the distance, you can hear the songs of the Tuscan peasant girls as they squash grapes with their exquisite feet.
Mainly because they are outhouses.
Airstreamcuzer- you are right. Looks like Banning is in the great state of California: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=banning+pass,+ca&ie=UTF8&ll=33.965003,-116.910324&spn=0.257409,0.4422&z=11&iwloc=addr