This coming autumn the Kunsthal Rotterdam. in a documentary exhibition featuring the zeppelin. will highlight one of the most heroic chapters of aviation history. It is a story full of romance and danger, starting with the first generation of zeppelins of around 1900 and ending with the Hindenburg's disastrous last flight in 1937 - captured for posterity by a live radio broadcast. This exciting story is retold in the form of photo and film material. scale models and original documents and objects. As well as presenting historical material. the exhibition focuses on an aspect of topical interest. In view of the virtual impossibility of predicting and coping with the increasing need for mobility and the growth in commercial transport. a number of countries are currently developing initiatives. One idea that could help solve the problem is becoming an attractive proposition: the airship. better known as the zeppelin or. as professional jargon has it. the LTA (Lighter Than Airship). As welt as a technical challenge. this revived and modernized form of aviation offers tremendous advantages to the environment. The exhibition provides an insight into the latest developments and possibilities of the zeppelin and answers such questions as: why can't a new zeppelin catch fire?

The zeppelin is back
Industry at home and abroad has discovered the potential of this new form of transport. A number of companies are considering ways and means of combining an old concept with advanced technology. Various research projects have convinced the Dutch government of the commercial viability of airships. Before the year is up. these giants of the air wilt be seen above Rotterdam during tests for an airship destined to support police activities during the European football championships in 2000.

An environmentally friendly alternative
The old airships were fueled by highly inflammable hydrogen. which in the modem generation is replaced by helium. a non-flammable gas that is lighter than air. The zeppelin will run on smaller. more economic diesel engines than its ancestor. and perhaps even make use of solar energy one day. The skeleton and skin are made of lightweight synthetic material. Flying at a speed of 150 kilometres per hour. the zeppelin is not only a clean but a quiet alternative. no more harmful to the environment than an intercity train. Because an airship does not need long approach routes. complicated and expensive infrastructures are unnecessary. A zeppelin can be used to reach problematic or remote locations like the Holland's West Frisian islands. oil-rigs or polar regions. It can hover in the sky and is thus ideal for scientific research and traffic observation. Airships can also provide efficient help in nature disasters, in Third World countries and in tracing landmines. The world of transport sees possibilities for large-volume and problematic transport operations. Last but not least, the zeppelin opens up new horizons for tourism: with its leisurely speed and fantastic views, it is nothing less than a flying cruiser!