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The Reference on Airships

Memphis Airships Inc.

Memphis Airships Inc. in Memphis, Tennessee, has built and flown several non-rigid airships in the past ten years. The Ultrablimp, a one person ultralight helium airship with a volume of 232 m3 driven by a 15 HP Yamaha engine, was the first one. They also built the Zephyr 200, a more performing blimp with a 24 HP König engine. Two Zephyr 200s were ordered by the Westinghouse Group to be used as testbed for a new radar system.

The Zephyr 500 flown by Interface Airships. (Image courtesy of Interface Airships Inc.)

The last project was the larger Zephyr 500, a descendant of the Zephyr 200, driven by two 24 HP König engines. Unfortuantely the project could not be completed before the company went into bankruptcy. The Zephyr 500 was acquired by Interface Airships Inc. while the employees were re-grouped in a new company called Maximage. Interface completed the Zephyr 500 and flew it for the first time in March 1996. It will be used for environmental research. Maximage specializes in the manufacture of aerostat and blimp envelopes with related assemblies.