Members of the Centreville Press staff were recently treated to one of the perks of the job. Bibb County’s community newspaper along with other members of the media, including WTXT, and the Tuscaloosa News were invited to ride the Wind Creek Casino and Hotel Blimp on Friday, September 25. Photographer and Bookkeeper Carol Belcher, her husband Jamie, and Reporter Daniel Bamberg took the hour-long tour over the city of Tuscaloosa at 9 a.m.
The blimp was in town in order to work the Alabama vs. Arkansas game on the following Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Wind Creek Casino and Hotel is located in Atmore, Alabama and is operated by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. It opened in January of 2009, providing the luxuries of a stylish hotel, casino gaming, and numerous dining options. Wind Creek is a 17-story glass structure located on 35-acres of property. The facility itself is 225,000 square-feet with 57,000 of that dedicated to their gaming floor. The hotel offers 236 rooms and suites with valet parking and 24-hour room service.
Wind Creek’s very unique blimp is a twin-engine A-170 Lightship. What makes it special is on the outside it features the world’s largest television screen. Thousands of Americans throughout the Southeast are expected to see the airship fly over major events this year and next year alone.
The blimp consists of a large, helium filled balloon made from advance technology fabrics. At the back, four fins with rudder and control surfaces are attached. A nose dish is used to moor the blimp when it is on the ground. Located at the bottom of the aircraft is the passenger area, also known as a gondola. The set-up of the passenger area is set to provide everyone on board with the most breath taking view of all things below. The airship can travel up to 70 miles per hour but generally travels not much more than 30 mph. Its maximum altitude is 5,000 feet but due to its ultimate nature as a mobile advertiser they stay low to the ground so people can see. During events, most blimps do not travel above 1,500 feet.
The Lightship Group is the company contracted by Wind Creek to fly the blimp. Georgia native and Anniston resident, Robert Carl Harbuck pilots this orange and brown air spectacle. Harbuck is a former Naval torpedo man who served aboard the USS Virginia, a nuclear powered guided missile cruiser. During his service he received the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, the Navy Unit Commendation, and the Navy Expeditionary Medal. After leaving the Navy Harbuck with The Dynamite Man Inc, as a civilian explosives expert. In his spare time he also flew commercial hot air balloons for BellSouth, Naturally Fresh Foods, and Hooters.
In 1987 he joined the U.S. Army as a helicopter pilot and was the Honor Graduate of his first class. In his first year he flew the Uh-1 Huey, then was accepted to fly the AH64A Apache. Eventually Harbuck became an instructor pilot for the Apache.
In 1997, Harbuck joined The Lightship Group as an airship pilot. He has flown blimps for Budweiser, Blockbuster Video, Koc, Bell Canada, Met Life, Holden, Saturn, DIRECTTV and others. He says he has flown over virtually every inch of the United States and most of Canada.
Harbuck currently holds the world record for an airship endurance flight (which is a flight non-stop without refueling). The previous record was 14 hours. Harbuck’s mark is now at 24 hours, 39 minutes, and 55 seconds. He was commended in the Congressional Record for his aerial law enforcement assistance during the 2002 MLB World Series. He also holds the honor to have been the pilot to fly John Glenn aboard the Saturn airship. Harbuck has spent 22 years as an aviator. In that time he has recorded over 8.300 hours piloting air ships, 1,000 hours in helicopters, and 130 hours in hot air balloons.
As for the members of the Centreville Press who were given this rare treat, everyone enjoyed it. The experience was safe, relaxing, refreshing, and exhilarating, as advertised.
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