SMV meets EHC Olten

For several years now, RC airships have been used as advertising media at a wide variety of events. The undisputed leader of the Swiss Ice Hockey League, the EHC Olten, has also been using such an airship for several seasons.

This season, however, there was a shortage of airship pilots, prompting EHC Olten officials to reach out to the SMV for help in finding pilots. The request was forwarded to neighboring regional associations, but I was the only one who responded.

Since I’ve flown just about every type of RC model aircraft except jets, this new challenge came at just the right time. Plus, as a former ice hockey goalie, I was able to combine two passions into a win-win situation.

Current pilot Reto Senoner trained me in a two-hour session on how to set up, fly, and pack up the approximately 4-meter-long airship. Extreme caution must be exercised when filling the envelope with balloon helium and when assembling the cabin with the RC components and tail units, as these are very fragile due to their lightweight construction. Once all parts are assembled, the blimp must be precisely balanced. Today, it takes me about half an hour to get it ready for operation.

Basically, with a little practice, the airship is relatively easy to steer—if it weren’t for the complicating factors in this particular case. That’s because it’s operated before each game and during intermissions, while two ice resurfacing machines are simultaneously zipping around the rink. In addition, you should avoid getting too close to the low-hanging, hot floodlights and the large information cube in the center of the rink. This results in a flight zone the size of the ice surface and approximately 3 meters in height. Adding to the challenge are the powerful fans that ventilate the ice rink and can create significant turbulence. Between 2,000 and 4,000 spectators in the stands also contribute to a certain amount of nervousness. During my first shift, this led to a few critical and embarrassing moments, in which I either skated backward into the safety net in front of the fan section or, after an unintended loss of altitude, was bumped by the ice resurfacer. I’ve since overcome these initial hurdles, developed a certain routine, and can now actually enjoy the rides. Seeing the airship glide so smoothly and almost silently is a majestic sight every time. The free season ticket for the exciting home games of the EHC Olten is the icing on the cake.

Daniel Ziegenhagen

Sources:
Photos/Video: Raphael Galliker, Daniel Ziegenhagen
; YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNDFq0IBsh8
; Link to the manufacturer: www.luftschiffservice.de