Blimps may be banned at show

Monday, Oct. 29, 2001 | 9:42 a.m.

Airship companies are awaiting word from federal aviation regulators over whether their flying billboards will be allowed to cruise over Comdex venues in Las Vegas next month.

Two companies that sponsor airships, part of the Comdex eye candy that accompanies the city's largest convention, have different views about what will happen.

The Fujifilm Airship, leased and flown by Airship Management Services, Greenwich, Conn., won't be coming for the show that begins Nov. 12 because managers of the blimp aren't expecting federal clearance by then.

But operators of the Sanyo blimp, flown by the Lightship Group, Orlando, Fla., say they think FAA clearance will occur soon enough that the company can plan for flights during the show.

FAA spokesman Jerry Snyder confirmed that restrictions banning blimps, banner-towing aircraft and news helicopters from flying are still in effect over Las Vegas because of terrorism worries.

"There's a progression toward getting to a more normalized state," Snyder said. "But whether or not the restriction would be lifted (in time for Comdex), I really don't know."

The ban on general aviation -- the flying of small private planes -- was lifted in Las Vegas last week.

Snyder said the flying bans are enforced by the FAA in coordination with the Transportation, Justice and Defense departments. Officials with those agencies examine the geographical characteristics of a city and consider different security issues before lifting a ban.

"We're disappointed that we're not coming for Comdex," said Kelly Lesson, a spokeswoman for Fuji Photo Film USA Inc., Elmsford, N.Y. "But our contacts have told us that blimps won't be able to fly over Las Vegas for at least two months."

Lesson said restrictions are high in Las Vegas because of the proximity of Hoover Dam, considered one of the top potential terrorist targets in the West.

But the Lightship Group, which has other Las Vegas flights planned in addition to the Sanyo blimp campaign, wants to be airborne for the show.

Mickey Wittman, director of broadcast services for the Lightship Group, said some of the company's 17 blimps will be ready to fly at Comdex as soon as FAA restrictions are lifted.

Some Lightship blimps are moored in California and would only take a day to get to Las Vegas if the weather is favorable.

"We wanted to fly at the speedway (for the National Hot Rod Association Winston Drag Racing Series) this weekend," Wittman said Friday. "But the restrictions are still in effect. If it got lifted, we'd be there today."

The Lightship Group, which once operated a passenger airship in Las Vegas and conducted scenic tours over the city under the vegas.com name, contracts with several companies to advertise over large population centers.

Among Lightship Group's current clients are Budweiser.com, Monster.com, CDW Computer Centers and Sanyo. Airships advertising Sanyo and Monster.com have flown over Las Vegas in previous trade shows.

"We actually go into Las Vegas quite often," Wittman said. "Right now, we're booked to fly over a championship fight and for the Britney Spears concerts (Nov. 17-18)."

Wittman said the FAA ban not only hurts his company and its clients, but also communities over which the airships fly.

"These are the best Chamber of Commerce pictures you can get," Wittman said of television shots of the city from airships that fly over sports and entertainment events.

The company does not disclose contract amounts, but airship sponsorships cost between $3 million and $4.5 million a year.