LTA Brazil

Airship history is strong in Brazil. One of airship's early innovators was Alberto Santos-Dumont. He was the first to incorporate the gasoline internal combustion engine to an airship envelope. He flew his semi-rigids in the late very late 1800s - very early 1900s in France.

The Zeppelin Company operated commercial flights between Friedrichshafen, Germany and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in the 1930s -- both the LZ127 and LZ129 made the transatlantic crossings.

During WWII, airships were on patrol around the globe, taking part in operations in and above such countries as Cuba, Italy, Columbia, Panama, and Mexico. Airships conducted extensive anti-submarine operations in French Morocco, Brazil, and France.

Goodyear operates a Lightship blimp -- "Spirit of the Americas" -- in South America based in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Goodyear has flown over Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina in recent years.

Fernando Lourenço <ferlourencoig@ig.com.br> has written a paper and thesis -- A CRISE DO PETRÓLEO E O DIRIGÍVEL -- about airships. Contact him for further information.