dirigible
Buoyant flying vessel
A dirigible is a large, steerable aircraft kept aloft by gas—distinguished from free-floating balloons by its ability to be directed.
The term covers both rigid airships like the Hindenburg and non-rigid blimps.
As an adjective, dirigible means capable of being steered or directed, though this use is rare outside technical contexts.
Non-rigid flying vessel
- zeppelinRigid lighter-than-air craft
- aerostatLighter-than-air craft
- lighter-than-airLess dense than atmosphere
- gondolaSuspended transport cabin
envelope · gasbag · helium · hydrogen · propeller · rudder · mooring · hangar
Ill-fated German dirigible
- Graf ZeppelinNamed German dirigible
- LakehurstNaval air station, Jersey
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- transatlanticSpanning the ocean between continents
luxury travel · observation · reconnaissance · World War I · naval · military · Goodyear · golden age
Buoyant object or vehicle
- hoverRemain suspended midair
- driftGradual movement, no direction
- soarAscend to heights
- glideMove with effortless continuity
ascend · cruise · maneuver · altitude · skyward · aloft · airborne · flight path
Organized exploratory journey
- voyageJourney by sea
- aerial surveyObservation from aircraft
- ArcticEarth's northernmost zone
- AntarcticSouthern polar region
polar · Amundsen · Italia · uncharted · observation · panoramic · adventure · circumnavigation
Retrofuturistic Victorian science fiction
- retro-futurismNostalgic vision of tomorrow
- nostalgicLonging for the past
- bygoneOf earlier times
- classicOf lasting excellence
antique · Victorian · Edwardian · golden age · old-fashioned · period · historic · elegant
blimp
Non-rigid flying vessel
- zeppelinRigid lighter-than-air craft
- aerostatLighter-than-air craft
- lighter-than-airLess dense than atmosphere
gondola · envelope · gasbag · helium · hydrogen · propeller · rudder · mooring · hangar · pilot
Hindenburg
Ill-fated German dirigible
- Graf ZeppelinNamed German dirigible
- LakehurstNaval air station, Jersey
- disasterSudden ruinous event
transatlantic · luxury travel · observation · reconnaissance · World War I · naval · military · Goodyear · golden age · 1930s
float
Buoyant object or vehicle
glide · ascend · cruise · maneuver · altitude · skyward · aloft · airborne · flight path · headwind
expedition
Organized exploratory journey
- voyageJourney by sea
- aerial surveyObservation from aircraft
- ArcticEarth's northernmost zone
Antarctic · polar · Amundsen · Italia · uncharted · observation · panoramic · adventure · circumnavigation · reconnaissance
steampunk
Retrofuturistic Victorian science fiction
- retro-futurismNostalgic vision of tomorrow
- nostalgicLonging for the past
- bygoneOf earlier times
classic · antique · Victorian · Edwardian · golden age · old-fashioned · period · historic · elegant · romantic
- vehiculosauto, autobus, avion, camion, bicicleta
- aircraftairplane, airliner, airplanes, plane, biplane
- Aviation HistoryWright Brothers, Wright Flyer, Wright brothers, Kitty Hawk, first flight
- Fictional Vehiclesstarship, mothership, Battlestar Galactica, Millennium Falcon, Borg cube
- inflatablesballoon, pool float, air mattress, inflatable boat, beach ball
- Old-timey wordsicebox, gramophone, phonograph, horseless carriage, aeroplane
dirigibleunsteerable
Cannot be guided
uncontrollable · adrift · drifting · unguided · rudderless
dirigiblehot-air balloon
Buoyant heated-envelope aircraft
free balloon · weather balloon · gas balloon · aerostat · balloon
dirigibleunmanageable
Impossible to control
uncontrollable · intractable · ungovernable · difficult · unwieldy