He is regarded as the most successful airship commander in history and made the Zeppelins the most successful variety of airship. Eckener also captained Graf Zeppelin on its record-setting 21-day flight around the world in 1929, the only such flight by an airship and only the second by an aircraft of any type and its 1931 Arctic flight. Eckener’s flights in Graf Zeppelin brought him international acclaim in the 1920s and early 1930s.

There was a time during the 1930s when rigid airships or dirigibles were the ultimate means of transoceanic air travel, far ahead even of aeroplanes. And the name most associated with the glory and romance of the dirigible age was Ferdinand von Zeppelin. However, it is important not to forget the pioneering contribution of his associate, Hugo Eckener, who recognised and exploited the potential of these beautiful and ponderous craft as viable commercial vehicles.

Eckener was the commander of the famous Graf Zeppelin on most of its record-setting flights, including the first airship flight around the world. He was also an indefatigable campaigner for passenger-bearing airships.

Hugo Eckener was born on August 10, 1868, in Flensburg, Germany, and was an indifferent student. Later, working as a journalist, he first saw an airship when he was assigned to cover the flight of von Zeppelin’s earliest airship LZ-1, on October 7, 1900. Eckener was so impressed by von Zeppelin that in 1908 he agreed to be a part-time publicist for the Zeppelin Company. He also learned to pilot these dirigibles and became deeply involved in the technical and operational aspects of Zeppelin flight. He obtained his airship licence in 1911. However, his very first flight as captain on May 16, 1911, ended in near disaster when he attempted to launch the Zeppelin in strong winds. The delicate craft drifted towards the hangar wall and was seriously damaged. Many believe that this unhappy experience had a profound effect on him and resulted in a steely determination always to put safety above commercial or other considerations. “It is absolutely necessary to know an operation that be successful before proceeding,” he once declared.

When World War I broke out, Eckener was responsible for training most of Germany’s airship pilots. He was not permitted on operational missions because he was valuable as a dirigible instructor. After the war, von Zeppelin died and Eckener took over the company. However, the Treaty of Versailles barred Germany from constructing airships of the size required to operate the profitable trans-Atlantic passenger service. After much effort, the Zeppelin Company was allowed to build the USS Los Angeles. It became the longest-serving rigid airship ever operated by the US Navy.

Next, the Graf Zeppelin was built under Eckener’s leadership. It became the most successful airship in history, completing many pioneering flights under Eckener’s command. The Graf Zeppelin was a passenger-carrying, hydrogenfilled airship which operated commercially from 1928 to 1937. In all, it made 590 flights totalling more than a million miles. Operated by a crew of 36, it had a normal operating airspeed of 63 knots and a top speed of 70 knots. It was able to cruise for up to 118 hours. It had a total lift capacity of 87,000 kg with a payload of 15,000 kg on a 10,000 km flight. On the Graf Zeppelin’s first flight from Germany to America in 1928, the first intercontinental passenger airship flight ever, it was nearly lost after getting caught in a severe storm. Although the fabric was ripped off the left fin, the craft was saved only by Eckener’s skilful piloting and the courage of his son, Knut Eckener, and other crew members, who climbed out onto the fin to repair the damage. On arrival in America, the Graf Zeppelin crew were accorded an ecstatic reception.