Saturn Lightship Crew Breaks Blimp Endurance Record

The Saturn Relay Lightship established a new world class flight duration record for Class B non rigid helium airships with volumes from 3000 cubic meters to more than 100,000 cubic meters when it flew for 24 hours, 40 minutes, and 55 seconds, landing at 11:10:40 pm tonight at the Long Beach Airport. The previous record of 14 hours and 9 minutes was established in 1998 in White Plains (NY).

The record attempt highlighted Saturn National Donor Day, held each February, the largest one-day donation drive in the US. On that day, Saturn encourages blood, marrow and tissue donation and creates awareness of the importance of a signed and witnessed donor registration card.

This demonstration of long endurance emphasizes the ability of the airships to fulfill a number of roles including persistent airborne surveillance. Counter insurgency, pipeline protection, border patrol, ports and harbor security, airborne law enforcement and protection of key facilities can greatly benefit from the ability of the airship to remain on station for extended periods of time. On occasion, the Saturn Lightship has assisted government agencies with security efforts.

The Saturn Relay Lightship was piloted by Carl Harbuck and Douglas McFadden of The Lightship Group of Orlando, (FL), and spent the entire flight in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Lightship was manufactured by The American Blimp Corporation of Hillsboro (OR), which has a long-term contract with the Saturn Corporation.

On board the flight was a barograph which established that the airship did not land, in accordance with the Federation Aeronautique International (FAI) which establishes the rules for world records. The National Aeronautic Association is the US representative to the FAI and will certify this new record.

Saturn uses the Relay Lightship to provide aerial marketing for its vehicles. Branded the Saturn Relay for its new 2005 Saturn Relay crossover sport van, the Lightship is also used to provide aerial footage for televised sporting cultural and community events.

FMI: www.lightship.com