Crew Trying To Stay In The Air 'Round The Clock

Pop quiz: What's the flight duration record for a non-rigid dirigible?

Answer: Stay tuned.

Carl Harbuck, chief pilot of the Saturn Lightship, along with co-pilot Doug McFadden, is trying to shatter the flight endurance record for blimps. If they're to succeed, they'll have to stay in the air for 14 hours and nine minutes -- set in 1998.

The flight originated from Long Beach (CA) as a kick-off for the 8th National Saturn Donor Day, the largest one-day life-saving donation drive in the US to be held February 14th. The event encourages blood, marrow and blood stem cell, organ and tissue donation, focusing on the importance of a signed and witnessed donor registration card.

But Harbuck and McFadden plan to stay aloft until their airship's twin Lycoming engines run out of fuel -- they figure it'll be about 24 hours.

If you're a sports fan, chances are you've seen the Saturn Lightship cruising over stadiums around the world. But Harbuck says he's also flown some 35 missions for law enforcement since the terrorist attacks of 9/11. He said his company did so at no cost to taxpayers. However, Reuters quotes an executive at the Lightship Group's parent company, American Blimp, will begin flying for the Army over the nation's capitol next month.

The Saturn Lightship is lifted by 150,000 cubic feet of helium. It's engines can push it along at a maximum of 52 miles an hour, although cruise speed is a more modest 40 mph.

But here's the rub. The blimp's gondola is only 18 by 5 feet -- and it has no potty. Perhaps we're looking at an endurance record of a whole different type.

(Note: As of 1600 EDT, Harbuck and McFadden had broken the endurance record, according to a spokeswoman for the Lightship Group. They were still in the air -- extending that record and, hopefully, not drinking too much water. We'll update this story early Wednesday. -- ed.)

FMI: www.lightships.com