Skylarking in Australia’s only blimp

a02 The blimp is, in some senses, a kind of floating billboard (Corey Hague)Source: ABC RN – abc.net.au

By Ann Jones

Have you seen a blimp over your city? That’s the one! The Legend Blimp the only airship of its sort in the southern hemisphere, and Ann Jones recently went for a spin.

The view from inside Australia's only blimp. Photo: Corey Hague

The view from inside Australia’s only blimp.
Photo: Corey Hague

The blimp floats just off the ground, unnervingly big and solid.

It currently has the name of an appliance firm across its flank, but the blimp is not owned by the fridge people.

It’s actually an advertising business—a floating billboard—but it’s also used for aerial photography and film occasionally

The blimp is, in some senses, a kind of floating billboard. Photo: Corey Hague

The blimp is, in some senses, a kind of floating billboard.
Photo: Corey Hague

Finney stands in front of the immense airship, 39 metres long and 11 metres wide, tethered to a mast. It’s sort of billowing, just above the earth.

The quality of the blimp’s movement is a like that of a helium balloon that has been left floating in the house for a week.

The blimp engines, ready to roll, just outside the gondola. Photo: Corey Hague

The blimp engines, ready to roll, just outside the gondola.
Photo: Corey Hague

The man on the mast, ready to disengage the blimp. Photo: Corey Hague

The man on the mast, ready to disengage the blimp.
Photo: Corey Hague

The control panel of the blimp. Photo: Corey Hague

The control panel of the blimp.
Photo: Corey Hague

Mark Finney is the chief pilot of the Legend Blimp. Photo: Corey Hague

Mark Finney is the chief pilot of the Legend Blimp.
Photo: Corey Hague

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Source: ABC RN – abc.net.au

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