Aviation Words — Zeppelin

October 2019 - You're probably familiar with what a Zeppelin was: a rigid, lighter-than-air vessel. It was named after German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, who was a leader in the field around the start of the 20th century. Patents were approved in Germany in 1895 and in the United States in 1899.

Zeppelins were the first airliners to carry scheduled passengers. As heavier-than-air aircraft were just in their infancy, Zeppelins had already carried more than 10,000 fare-paying passengers. They were used in the First World War as bombers over the United Kingdom, killing an estimated 500 people.

That famous picture of the Hindenburg disaster as its hydrogen lifting gas erupts into flames.

The famous Hindenburg disaster in 1937 pretty much put an end to hydrogen-filled airships. Since the world’s supply of helium was only found in the United States, it was decided not to sell any to Germany.

And yes, I chose this month's aviation word because it's at the very end of the alphabetical list!