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Preparations

The partly inflated blimp hovers like a giant white slug.
The blimp hangs sullenly in the air as the envelope fills with helium.

Lauren Bylsma rolls away a helium tank as Chris Hoess checks the regulator on another and Fu-zu Jen watches.
Lauren Bylsma rolls away an empty helium tank as Chris Hoess checks the regulator on a new one and Fu-zu Jen watches the proceedings.

Cable, tools, and other equipment lie at the edge of the snow, waiting to be used.
Unloaded equipment sits by the edge of the field.

Wendelin Michel holds on tight to the gondola during the engine test.
Wendelin Michel holds tightly to the gondola as the engines roar to life in a preflight test.

The blimp crew gathers around the helium tank.
Fu-zu, Vito Sabella, Dan Levin, and Chris gather around the helium tank, ready to launch.

Flight

The tethered blimp from beneath, moving forward and up.
The blimp comes to life, its engines pushing it up and forward.

The blimp, held tightly by its tethers, silhouetted against cirrocumulus clouds.
The blimp looms ominously against the winter sky.

The blimp pitches sharply upward, with the top of the Penn Tower hotel in the background.
The blimp pitches upward and strains against its tethers.

Handlers playing out line to the tethers, as the rest of the crew follows and watches.
The crew goes bounding through the snow to keep up with the blimp.

The underside of the moving blimp, showing engines and gondola.
The blimp roars overhead in a blast of propwash.

The gondola and fore part of the blimp, with tether evident.
The tether strains as the blimp lifts itself into the sky.

The blimp pushes upwards against its tethers, against the backdrop of Franklin Field stands.
Engines roaring, the blimp lifts itself, tugging at its tethers.

Handlers walk the blimp sideways back to the launch stand.
Brendon Kiely, Wendelin, Vito, and Fred Heger walk the blimp back to its launching stand.

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