Friedrichshafen Webcam – Catch a Zeppelin at the Airfield

The Friedrichshafen Webcam looks out from the Zeppelin hangar at Friedrichshafen Airport, on the north side of Lake Constance in southern Germany, across the grass airfield where Zeppelin NT airships take off and land. A paved taxiway curves through the foreground, the field runs flat to a row of airport buildings, and wooded hills close off the horizon. Ground crew and service vehicles come and go on the grass, and on a flying day a 75 meter (246 foot) airship can lift off the field or settle back onto it. The camera pans, so the framing can differ from one visit to the next. The stream runs around the clock, while the airships fly from April to mid-November when the weather allows.

About Friedrichshafen and Its Zeppelin Airfield

Friedrichshafen was created in 1811, when the towns of Buchhorn and Hofen were merged, and it sits at about 400 meters (1,312 feet) on the north shore of Lake Constance, close to the Swiss and Austrian borders. Ferdinand von Zeppelin built his airships here more than a century ago, and the Zeppelin Museum at the harbor tells that story. Airships still fly from the town today, out of a hangar beside the airport that ranks among the largest in southern Germany.

Friedrichshafen Airport lies about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) north of the city at 414 meters (1,358 feet) above sea level. It has a single asphalt runway, 06/24, which is 2,356 meters (7,729 feet) long, and the Dornier Museum stands next to the terminal. Flying on this ground goes back to 1915, when the first hangars went up at Lowental, northeast of the town. The Friedrichshafen Webcam is wall mounted and can pan, and on the operator’s own page visitors can steer it themselves.

The airship that uses this field is the Zeppelin NT, built in Friedrichshafen by Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik and first flown on September 18, 1997. It is a semi-rigid design holding 8,255 cubic meters (290,500 cubic feet) of nonflammable helium, and it takes off and lands vertically with only three people needed on the ground. Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei, a subsidiary of the manufacturer, has flown sightseeing passengers from here since August 15, 2001. Goodyear ordered three of the larger LZ N07-101 version, and the first, Wingfoot One, was unveiled in 2014.

Weather and Climate in Friedrichshafen

Winter nights fall below freezing. January averages 2.3 C (36 F) by day and -2.7 C (27 F) at night, so frost can whiten the grass on clear mornings, and there are no sightseeing flights from December to March. April brings afternoons of about 13 C (56 F) and nights near 4 C (39 F), and the flying season opens on April 1.

Summer is warm and also the wettest part of the year. July averages 23.2 C (74 F) by day and 13.7 C (57 F) at night and brings 133 millimeters (5.2 inches) of rain, out of about 995 millimeters (39 inches) a year. October cools to around 13 C (56 F) by day and 6 C (43 F) at night, and the last flights of the season run until mid-November. Every flight depends on the weather, so on a poor day the field can stay quiet even in season.

Things to Do Near Friedrichshafen

The most direct follow-up to this camera starts at the same hangar. Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei flies sightseeing trips daily from April 1 to mid-November, weather permitting, on routes lasting from 20 minutes to two hours, and the local Friedrichshafen flight takes 30 minutes. The Dornier Museum beside the terminal displays restored aircraft and aviation technology, and Messe Friedrichshafen, the city’s trade fair grounds, hosts the AERO aviation trade fair.

Down on the lakefront, the Zeppelin Museum occupies a building at the harbor, the Moleturm tower rises over the harbor, and the Schlosskirche, the castle church, stands along the shore. From the harbor a car ferry crosses the lake to Romanshorn in Switzerland, and a fast catamaran runs to Konstanz.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

For more airfields and a sight downstream on the Rhine, try these.

• Cologne Bonn Airport Webcam
• Heathrow Airport Webcam
• Rhine Falls Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

What can you see on the Friedrichshafen Webcam?

The camera looks across the grass airfield at Friedrichshafen Airport from the Zeppelin hangar. A taxiway crosses the foreground, airport buildings line the far side of the field and wooded hills fill the horizon. Zeppelin NT airships take off and land here during the flying season, and ground crew and vehicles can appear on the grass. The camera pans, so the angle can change.

Where is the Zeppelin hangar in Friedrichshafen?

The hangar stands at Friedrichshafen Airport, about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) north of the city center in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. Sightseeing flights with Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei start and end there.

Does the Friedrichshafen Webcam show the harbor or the lake promenade?

No. The camera is at the airport, inland and about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) north of the city center, so the harbor, the lakeside promenade, the Graf-Zeppelin-Haus and the Zeppelin Museum are all out of view. It shows the airfield and the airport buildings around it.

When do Zeppelins fly in Friedrichshafen?

The flying season runs from April 1 to mid-November, with flights every day when the weather allows. There are no sightseeing flights from December to March, so winter is the quietest time on the field.

What is the weather like in Friedrichshafen?

Winters are cold and summers warm and fairly wet. January averages 2.3 C (36 F) by day and -2.7 C (27 F) at night, while July reaches 23.2 C (74 F) by day. July is also the wettest month, with 133 millimeters (5.2 inches) of rain.

How big is a Zeppelin NT airship?

A Zeppelin NT is 75 meters (246 feet) long and holds 8,255 cubic meters (290,500 cubic feet) of helium. It carries two crew and 12 passengers, or 14 in the LZ N07-101 version, and cruises at about 70 kilometers per hour (43 mph) on sightseeing flights, with a top speed of 125 kilometers per hour (78 mph).

Can you take a Zeppelin flight from Friedrichshafen?

Yes. Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei sells sightseeing flights from the hangar, lasting from 20 minutes to two hours, and the local Friedrichshafen route takes 30 minutes. Flights run from April to mid-November and depend on the weather on the day.

Source: Zeppelin NT and Joseph Shenouda