Airships were the first aircraft capable of controlled powered flight, and were most commonly used before the 1940s; their use decreased as their capabilities were surpassed by those of …

airship, a self-propelled lighter-than-air craft. Three main types of airships, or dirigibles (from French diriger, “to steer”), have been built: nonrigids (blimps), semirigids, and rigids.

Sep 14, 2021 · Airships offered the first way to navigate while in the air. These powered, lighter-than-air craft can be controlled, unlike balloons that go wherever the wind blows.

Jun 6, 2024 · Airships are vertical-lift aircraft that use gas to float and steer in the air. During their heyday in the first decades of the 20th century, these lighter-than-air vessels were both a …

Sep 3, 2024 · Non-rigid airships, often referred to as blimps, were the first type of dirigible to be developed. These airships relied on a gas envelope to maintain their shape and used internal …

Jun 13, 2025 · Airships are lighter-than-air aircraft that achieve flight through the use of a large envelope filled with buoyant gas. The design of airships incorporates elements like the hull, …

Jun 11, 2018 · A technologically advanced cousin of the balloon, airships are streamlined vessels buoyed by gases and controlled by means of propellers, rudders, and pressurized air.