Zeppelins are back

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The zeppelin is back, Bob Pool writes -- but this time it’s filled with non-explosive helium gas.

A privately run company based at the San Francisco-area Moffett Field has returned the German-made craft to California skies. The 246-foot zeppelin, called the Eureka, can carry 13 passengers and a crew of two. Those on board have views of landmarks through giant plexiglass windows that line all sides of its cabin.

So far, the Eureka has made four trips to Los Angeles, and its operators plan more for next year, starting with a two-week visit in mid-January. They offer public flights over the coast and the city and hope to add excursions over Palm Springs and San Diego.

Sightseeing rides are spectacular but pricey. A half-hour trip costs $199; a two-hour flight, $950. A daylong excursion between Los Angeles and San Francisco runs $1,500.

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