Dreams Take Flight
19th Annual Benefit Gala
Keynote by Alan Weston
In 2023, the Hiller Aviation Museum welcomes Dr. Alan Weston, CEO of LTA Research. A longtime contributor to research projects funded by the Department of Defense, NASA, and the United States Air Force, Dr. Weston today leads LTA Research in a bid to re-invent rigid dirigible airships for use in humanitarian relief missions. First developed on a large scale by Ferdinand von Zeppelin at the dawn of the 20th century, these airships used enormous cells containing hydrogen or helium to generate lift and could be over 800′ long, comparable in size to an ocean liner. Graf Zeppelin 2, the last of the German rigid dirigibles, made its final flight in August 1939 – just before the onset of World War II.
Under Dr. Weston’s leadership, LTA has used the cavernous space of Hangar 2 at historic Moffett Field to fabricate Pathfinder 1, the first rigid dirigible built since the 1930s. At over 400′ long, this testbed is twice the length of blimps and semi-rigid Zeppelin airships used in recent years for sightseeing flights and marketing missions. Propelled by distributed electric motors able to recharge using solar panels, Pathfinder 1 will pave the way for production airships more than twice as large and capable of carrying large cargoes quickly into areas with minimal working transport infrastructure.
Special Thanks to the Hiller Aviation Museum Board of Directors
Stephen S. Hiller, Chair; Hank Scherf, Vice Chair; Kirsten Komoroske, Secretary
Mark Jon Bluth ∙ Oliver Coolidge ∙ Matt Croce ∙ Scott Cronce ∙ Eileen DiGiorgio ∙ Rick Ellinger ∙ Rick Gostyla ∙ Bob Grassilli ∙ Chris Lee ∙ Charles Litchfield ∙ Bob Lundy ∙ Robert MacLean ∙ Thom Maslow ∙ Manuel Terranova ∙ Michelle Williams ∙ Kate Wormington ∙ Mubarik Imam
How to Contribute Auction Prizes
Auction prize donations for 2023 are already being collected and are greatly appreciated, especially gifts of fine wine, getaways, aviation experiences, and more!
Please contact Tanya Gist to donate prizes for our live and silent auction.
650-654-0200 x213, tanya@hiller.org
Your Support is Greatly Appreciated!
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Donations are 100% tax deductible.
Other Ways to Donate
Mail:
Hiller Aviation Museum
Attn: Visions From the Stratosphere
601 Skyway Road
San Carlos, CA 94070
DAF:
Hiller Aviation Institute & Museum nonprofit tax ID# 94-3226411
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Transfer securities to Hiller Aviation Institute
Account # 1443-3821 / DTC #0141
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Get your Benefit Gala Tickets
Help support the Hiller Aviation Museum at the 19th Annual Benefit Gala