What makes blimps go up in the air?
Helium, a gas lighter than air, provides blimps with their lifting power, while rudders and propellers help direct their flight and air chambers help them return to the ground.HeliumBlimps contains large amounts of helium, a lighter-than-air inert gas. The blimp rises into the air as the gas rises, unencumbered by the heavier air surrounding it, according to the Goodyear Blimp website.Why Not Hydrogen?Hydrogen has even greater lifting properties than helium, but it can also catch fire easily. Helium’s non-flammable quality makes it a safer choice for air travel.Directional ControlA blimp’s directional controls allow it to maneuver. A rudder system controls the blimp’s direction and attitude so it can turn easily, while a set of propellers pushes it forward.DescentA blimp uses the surrounding air to bring itself back down. The pilot opens chambers called ballonets to take on air, weighing the blimp down so it can descend.AnchoringA blimp must attach to a mooring mast to remain on the gr
