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WHEN GIANTS RULED THE SKY: The Golden Age of Airship Travel


  • University of San Francisco-Fromm Institute 2130 Fulton Street San Francisco, CA, 94117 United States (map)

8 TUESDAY SESSIONS BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 12 AND OCTOBER 31 TO BE HELD IN-PERSON AS WELL AS ON ZOOM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO’S FROMM INSTITUTE BETWEEN 10:00 AND 11:40 A.M. CLASSES WILL ALSO BE RECORDED FOR LATER VIEWING. Few people realize that Zeppelins carried thousands of paying passengers millions of miles without a single fatality for more than 20 years. This made them the safest form of any transportation until the Hindenburg disaster in 1937. France, England, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Japan, the Soviet Union, and the United States were just a few of the countries that built and flew airships during the first 30 years of the 20th century. This survey of a remarkable but little­ known period of aviation history will include fascinating photographs, rare film clips and first person accounts. The course is based on research for my recent non­fiction book, WHEN GIANTS RULED THE SKY (The History Press, 2022), which was also the basis for the recent Smithsonian documentary, "America's Lost Airship." To watch a brief promotional video click here. To register for the class click here.