Dear Santa...

You can blame Bill Crider for this one. You already know about my obsession with airships--my Amazon Wish List is chok full of zeppelin books, and three of my most recently published and/or written stories feature dirigibles prominently--and I've posted about my close encounter with a Goodyear Blimp from 30 years or so back. So can you blame me for suffering shortness of breath and heart palpitations when I behold something as glorious as Skyacht?



Yes, I know it's a hot air balloon, which officially makes it not a dirigible. But helium's expensive, and there's no practical way to fill and deflate a personal airship without venting all of that costly gas. Hot air buoyancy is much more practical, but steering balloons has always been problematic. Except these guys apparently have the issue licked. Check out that second picture--that's a movable engine mount, capable of giving directional thrust not entirely unlike the semi-rigid Zeppelin NT (one of which I also want).

Since we moved to New Braunfels, ultralights and powered parachutes have proven to be a common sight (and sound) in the skies over our house. I suspect I could make quite an impression with a personal blimp.

Now Playing: The Beach Boys Christmas with the Beach Boys