Blimps on tower or CATF?

[jaymatt1978]

There waAs a blimp in Cape May today but I didn't hear [any comms. I know blimps have frequencies in the VHF aand UHF business bands, but I was wondering if anyone has ever heard them on aviation frequencies and how did the identify?? Just curious

 

[dlwtrunked]

There was a blimp in Cape May today but I didn't hear [any comms. I know blimps have frequencies in the VHF and UHF business bands, but I was wondering if anyone has ever heard them on aviation frequencies and how did the identify?? Just curious

I lived in Suffield, Ohio for about 20 years. That is the true current home (not Akron) of the blimp/dirigibles. They operate on regular air traffic control frequencies when aloft like other aircraft (otherwise there would be no coordination). VHF and UHF are for coordinating mostly with camera/audio activities. Some operators (like Goodyear) have some of their own blimp landing areas and have VHF AM aero frequencies for those when landing and taking off. They use their tail number (like Goodyear's N2A) as that distinquishes that one from other blimps. I do not recall if I ever heard one say it was a blimp but I suspect they often do. Photo is N2A at Goodyear's Wingfoot Lake facility in Suffield, Ohio taken on a visit back home.

 

[wtp]

i have a very old air scan book that puts the goodyear blimp on 132.0
if i recall down here in Florida, a different blimp was asked to move from a local airport freq by another pilot to 123.15 for some Q & A. (2009)
and in the early 90's i caught the goodyear blimp at teterboro and was called "goodyear"

 

[alphazulu]

No idea the frequencies - maybe The Discovery Channel "Shark Week" Blimp in the NJ area?

2 Shark Week Blimps are Flying Over the Coasts

What's the only thing better than a flying shark? ...Two flying sharks. Starting July 1, keep your eyes on the sky for two SHARK WEEK blimps roaming the East and West coasts.Track the Shark Week blimps' whereabouts at SharkWeek.com/Blimp and share photos of your sightings using #EastShark and...

www.discovery.com

 

[dlwtrunked]

i have a very old air scan book that puts the goodyear blimp on 132.0
if i recall down here in Florida, a different blimp was asked to move from a local airport freq by another pilot to 123.15 for some Q & A. (2009)
and in the early 90's i caught the goodyear blimp at teterboro and was called "goodyear"

The "132.0" should probably be "123.0" which was used at some smaller airports.
Regarding "goodyear" callsign, that would not work with where I was from as saw 6 aloft at one time (though the Akron Beacon Journal the next day said Goodyear only had 3 and reports otherwise were wrong).

 

[drdispatch]

Seems to me I recall them using the callsign "airship" when talking to ATC. That was several years ago though, so memory is a bit fuzzy.

 

[RichardKramer]

The "132.0" should probably be "123.0" which was used at some smaller airports.
Regarding "goodyear" callsign, that would not work with where I was from as saw 6 aloft at one time (though the Akron Beacon Journal the next day said Goodyear only had 3 and reports otherwise were wrong).

When the Goodyear blimp was up in the Reading, PA area back in the 80's, they did use 132.0 for the tether team.

 

[wtp]

the 132.0 is up in the company use area of the band.
Allegiant Air which uses my local punta gorda airport uses 131.0 for theirs.

 

[wtp]

128.825 to 132.0
company band use.

 

[alcahuete]

As far as how they identify, there is nothing special about blimps vs. any other aircraft when it comes to using the radio. If they don't have an ICAO callsign, they would use their tail number (N Number). It could be N123 or Airship 123 or something similar. For the airports/airspace they regularly fly in, they might have a Letter of Agreement with ATC to use some sort of tactical callsign, just like some law enforcement/fire and news aircraft use.

 

[jaymatt1978]

YES this was EXACTLY what the were advertising!!

No idea the frequencies - maybe The Discovery Channel "Shark Week" Blimp in the NJ area?

2 Shark Week Blimps are Flying Over the Coasts

What's the only thing better than a flying shark? ...Two flying sharks. Starting July 1, keep your eyes on the sky for two SHARK WEEK blimps roaming the East and West coasts.Track the Shark Week blimps' whereabouts at SharkWeek.com/Blimp and share photos of your sightings using #EastShark and...

www.discovery.com