Attracted by Count Zeppelin's earlier flights, hundreds of persons made reservations for the regularly conducted commercial trips, when in 1910 he organized the Deutsche Luftschiffahrt, A. G. (German Air Ship Transportation Co.), briefly called the "DELAG". There was apparently a popular demand for commercial airship transport. Zeppelin founded the "DELAG" to meet this demand, and also to provide operating personnel and train pilots and crews for the other services, which he knew, would be necessary in case of emergency.

The "DELAG" was capitalized for 3,000,000 marks (approximately $714,000) and while it was a subsidiary of Luftschiffbau-Zeppelin, there also partic.i.p.ated in this commercial operating organization a number of capitalists, whose faith in commercial air transport was fully justified by the success of the "DELAG" despite much difficulty the first year or so due to lack of meteorological data and inexperience.

The First Air Transport Company

[PLATE 44: The "DELAG" Pa.s.senger Zeppelin "Bodensee."

On an excursion over lake district near Potsdam.

The "DELAG" Pa.s.senger Zeppelin "Bodensee."

Pa.s.sengers at Friedrichshafen embarking for Berlin.]

During the latter part of 1910, minor accidents occurred which sometimes damaged the airships and disrupted the service, but in 1911 a comparatively regular service was established and maintained. The princ.i.p.al ship was the "=Schwaben=," (Plates 5 and 30) which was far superior to her predecessors and which had the advantage of new and larger sheds at the Zeppelin-"DELAG" airports. The schedule maintained by the "=Schwaben=" justifies the a.s.sertion that the "DELAG" operated the first commercial aerial transport company on earth. Her success encouraged expansion, and in 1912, two additional ships, the "=Victoria Louise=" (Plates 31-32) and the "=Hansa=" (Plate 33) were built and entered the "DELAG" service, to be followed the next year by the "=Sachsen=", (Plate 33).

Part of the Aviation Reserve

The German Army commandeered all these commercial Zeppelins at the start of the war. They were used partly for military duty and partly as training ships for the many necessary crews. The first year of the war, they added hundreds of flights to the commercial record they had already made; but gradually became obsolete and were dismantled to make room for the newer and more efficient types being turned out at the Zeppelin Plants.

The headquarters of the "DELAG" were at Frankfort. It was from that city that the chief executives controlled operations. The Business Manager had charge of the financial and commercial activities. He supervised salaries, purchase of supplies, materials, etc. Flying operations were in charge of a Director of Flight. He had charge of the personnel at the air harbors; and all technical problems were put up to him.

The crew of a commercial Zeppelin included the pilot, a reserve pilot, a flight mechanic, helmsmen and engineers, the number depending on the nature of the flight, a wireless operator and a ship's steward. The crew usually aggregated twelve men.

Created the First Airship Harbor

As far as practicable, each Zeppelin was a.s.signed to a definite air harbor, which was known as its home station, or terminal. Here all the repairs and maintenance were done. The members of the crew were a.s.signed to suitable homes, all located in that immediate vicinity. The maintenance crews for airships and sheds were also stationed there.

These auxiliaries averaged thirty persons under the direction of a foreman. They, too, formed the nucleus for the landing party necessary to handle the airships on arrival or departure. Each air harbor had a manager and his a.s.sistants to handle business details.

[PLATE 45: The "DELAG" Pa.s.senger Zeppelin "Bodensee."

Crew's Quarters.

Water Ballast Bag, Capacity 300 Kilos.

Wireless Room.]

When the Zeppelin arrived at its home port, and during its sojourn there the pilot was in sole command of both ship and air station. He was held strictly accountable for the safety of his ship; and acted as both station master and flying officer, subject only to instruction from the Director of Flight. The pilot alone made the decisions as to whether or not he should make a flight, when he should start and the number of pa.s.sengers and crew he would carry. It is interesting to note that this system was adopted for the entire German airship force during the war.

In fact, practically all airship personnel was trained by the "DELAG."

Like Land and Water Services

There was no special organization for selling pa.s.senger accommodations.

Agents of the Hamburg-American Line ("HAPAG") which had offices in all German cities, also represented Zeppelin, and reservations were made on the same basis as for ocean going vessels.

The "=Deutschland=" was the first Zeppelin operated by the "DELAG." The motors, however, were not very dependable; and the low speed of the ship, combined with lack of experience made it susceptible to minor accidents. The =Deutschland= was so badly damaged, finally, that Zeppelin was compelled to rebuild her. During the period that she was being reconstructed the Zeppelin LZ-6 was subst.i.tuted.

The "Schwaben" Filled all Requirements

The first ship to fill the requirements essential to safe and steady commercial operations was the "=Schwaben=" built in the summer of 1911.

She was 459.2 feet (140 meters) long, 45.9 feet (14 meters) in diameter, and of 615,580 cubic feet (18,000 cubic meters) hydrogen gas capacity. Her three Maybach 145 horsepower motors gave the "=Schwaben=" a speed of 43 miles an hour (19.3 meters per second). She had a useful lift of 8,818.4 pounds (4,000 kilograms). During the latter part of 1911 more than a hundred flights were made with the "=Schwaben=" between Lake Constance, Niederheim, Gotha, and Berlin. These flights warranted larger ships.

[PLATE 46: The "DELAG" Pa.s.senger Zeppelin "Nordstern."

Interior view with gas bags removed.]

In March 1912, the "DELAG" put into operation the new Zeppelin "=Victoria Louise=" (Plates 31-32) and in the summer, her sister ship the "=Hansa=".

These Zeppelins were 485.4 feet (148 meters) long and 45.9 feet (14 meters) in diameter. They each held 670,890 cubic feet (19,000 cubic meters) of hydrogen and their useful lift was 11,023 pounds (5,000 kilograms). Motors had been so improved that the "=Victoria Louise=" and "=Hansa=" were able to make 44.7 and 46.9 miles per hour respectively.

Accommodations for Many Pa.s.sengers

Each Zeppelin accommodated twenty-four pa.s.sengers besides the crew. Warm meals were served from the up to date electrical kitchen. There was wireless aboard, also.

The ships gave complete satisfaction during hundreds of flights made over constantly increasing distances. They won the confidence of the traveling public; and equally important, had supplied much valuable experience and information, for they operated in all kinds of weather at all seasons of the year.

In 1913, the new Zeppelin, "=Sachsen=", (Plate 33) was added to the "DELAG" fleet. She had a length of 459.2 feet (140 meters) and a diameter of 49.2 feet (15 meters) which increased the lift because she carried 670,890 cubic feet (19,000 cubic meters) of hydrogen which gave her a useful lift of more than 13,227.6 pounds (6,000 kilograms). Her speed was better than 48 miles an hour and she carried twenty-four pa.s.sengers.

[PLATE 47: The "DELAG" Pa.s.senger Zeppelin "Bodensee."

Interior view gas bags not inflated.]

New and larger sheds were built for the "DELAG" as the fleet increased in size. When they first commenced flying there were only two airship sheds in addition to the one at Friedrichshafen. These were at Baden-Baden and at Dusseldorf. They owned the shed at Baden-Baden and leased from the munic.i.p.ality the one at Dusseldorf. Toward the end of 1911 others were available, one at Johannisthal near Berlin and one at Gotha. In 1912 two more were ready, one at Frankfort on the Main, owned by the "DELAG," and one at Potsdam, owned by Luftschiffbau-Zeppelin. In 1913 the munic.i.p.alities of Hamburg, Leipzig and Dresden erected sheds.

(Plates 34-35-36.) In the beginning the sheds were single but the ones built after the "DELAG" had started regular schedules, accommodated two ships side by side. Some of the sheds were huge, often 196.8 feet (60 meters) wide.

Development of Adequate Hangars

They were provided with electric lights, water supply and docking rails, which extended from either end. Special piping conveyed the hydrogen from plant to shed. All sheds had railway connections, and were equipped with waiting rooms for pa.s.sengers and crews, as well as workshops and accessory buildings. The airship harbors built by the "DELAG" and Zeppelin had particularly extensive workshops, for besides the regular maintenance work, they produced many new parts and instruments for navigating Zeppelins.

[PLATE 48: The "DELAG" Pa.s.senger Zeppelin "Bodensee."

Power gondola (side) containing one 260 horsepower Maybach motor. Note ladder communicating with interior of ship.

The "DELAG" Pa.s.senger Zeppelin "Bodensee."

Power gondola (rear) containing two 260 horsepower Maybach motors. Note ladder communicating with interior of ship.]

At every shed there was a meteorological station fitted with barometers, barographs, thermographs, and a theodolite for measurement of the wind velocity in the upper atmosphere. Weather observations were made each morning and telegraphed to all other stations. This enabled all Zeppelin pilots to be thoroughly informed before setting out on a flight. The special data supplied by the Zeppelin stations was more adequate for airship requirements than that from the Government official weather bureau. Wireless equipment was installed late in 1913.

Many Long Commercial Flights

The average commercial flight was from 37 to 62 miles (60 to 100 kilometers) from 1 to 2 hours. When the flights were from one airship harbor to another they often lasted four and sometimes eight hours. The fare was determined by the length of the flight, or the mileage. Round trip flights, which were comparatively short, cost from 25 to 50 dollars (one to two hundred marks.) The long distance trips ranged from 60 to 150 dollars (250 to 600 marks). Many single flights were made over the North Sea. The "=Victoria Louise=" often flew to Helgoland, Sylt and Norderney, the "=Hansa=" to Copenhagen and the "=Sachsen=" to Vienna.