Metlife Blimp at FRG - Up Close and Personal

Guys,

All week I've been attending a summer program at the SUNY Farmingdale hangar over at KFRG. So far we've been in TRACON, the restoration hangars near Mitchell Field, the Cradle of Aviation, and we're sceduled to go up in the tower tomorrow.

But, today, I got up close and personal with the Metlife blimp, as mentioned in the news forum. The pilots are nice guys; they'll be heading to Southern California for the winter months but for now they're stationed, obviously, in NY.

Here are some shots of this awesome piece of aviation. I haven't mastered my "overcast" shooting, so pardon the crappy quality, lol.


http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/8476/img35816xz.jpg

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/7808/img35835pq.jpg

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/1071/img35870lf.jpg

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/9852/img35921pt.jpg

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/6749/img35940nb.jpg

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/8059/img36000um.jpg

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/4681/img36035xk.jpg

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/6596/img36052rw.jpg

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/7585/img36108tj.jpg


It's an excellent program for young "aviation enthusiasts." Everyone who works there rocks. 8)

Chris

Looks like you got TWO blimps in the second shot. :)

Those are pretty damn cool, the cockpit shots are incredible, but I can't even stand the thought of making it to SoCal in a cab like that. I'm more used to seeing the Goodyear bahemoth with its bigger (relatively speaking) cab...but still...

Again, great shots. What's the next activity?

Brian

LOL
Futterman, I was thinking the same thing!
I was wondering, "does the captain exceed weight requirements for the aircraft to fly safely, rather, get off the ground??"
:lol:

If this is the ASCET program your talking about, I am extremely jelous right now. I was able to get a scholarship for their aviation program, and after I finished celebrating my accomplishment, I found out that I had to take divers ed all summer long, and wouldn't be able to go :( :evil: Argh I couldve been inside TRACON!!!!

oh yeah, btw, awesome pics.........grr i could've been taking those kind of pics, too.

Actually I couldn't help but think that in the second shot it looks like the huge prop will cut clean through that orange hose thingie. It's hard to get any concept of depth in that shot. But you do get a sense of overall roundness though. You know, in the multi-blimp shot.

nice shots Chris!