Narrative:

We flew south through the new york/hudson river corridor at 1000 ft. After passing the narrows bridge, we descended to 500 ft, turned left (east), and flew about 1/3 mi offshore past coney island and the rockaways (en route to frg). Being 1/3 mi offshore means that we would be to the right of any wbound traffic heading to the corridor. It was our intent to fly east to jones beach, then contact frg tower for landing instructions. As we approached the long beach area -- almost to where the minimum 'B' altitudes change from +500 ft to +1500 ft, a large object just ahead emerged from the haze. At first, we thought it was a balloon, then realized it was an advertising blimp at our altitude. It was about 1/4 mi offshore and almost directly in our flight path. We immediately turned 90 degrees right and initiated a climb. Depending on our exact position, it is possible we briefly entered class B airspace while we avoided the blimp. At 1200 ft, about 1/2 mi offshore, we resumed an easterly course. This report is not just about a possible class B violation. It is about an advertising blimp positioned just offshore in airspace used as the southeastern funnel of the new york class B corridor. The blimp, I realize, was probably legal. But its presence is tantamount to erecting a billboard in a travel lane of a highway. The blimp operator could apply for a waiver similar to banner-tow aircraft, allowing it to be lower (and out of the way of transiting airplanes). Also, the operator should inform FSS so we could have been alerted in advance to its presence.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C177, FLYING ONLY 500 FT MSL IN MARGINAL WX, ENCOUNTERED A BLIMP. FORCING HIM TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INCURSION INTO JFK CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WE FLEW S THROUGH THE NEW YORK/HUDSON RIVER CORRIDOR AT 1000 FT. AFTER PASSING THE NARROWS BRIDGE, WE DSNDED TO 500 FT, TURNED L (E), AND FLEW ABOUT 1/3 MI OFFSHORE PAST CONEY ISLAND AND THE ROCKAWAYS (ENRTE TO FRG). BEING 1/3 MI OFFSHORE MEANS THAT WE WOULD BE TO THE R OF ANY WBOUND TFC HDG TO THE CORRIDOR. IT WAS OUR INTENT TO FLY E TO JONES BEACH, THEN CONTACT FRG TWR FOR LNDG INSTRUCTIONS. AS WE APCHED THE LONG BEACH AREA -- ALMOST TO WHERE THE MINIMUM 'B' ALTS CHANGE FROM +500 FT TO +1500 FT, A LARGE OBJECT JUST AHEAD EMERGED FROM THE HAZE. AT FIRST, WE THOUGHT IT WAS A BALLOON, THEN REALIZED IT WAS AN ADVERTISING BLIMP AT OUR ALT. IT WAS ABOUT 1/4 MI OFFSHORE AND ALMOST DIRECTLY IN OUR FLT PATH. WE IMMEDIATELY TURNED 90 DEGS R AND INITIATED A CLB. DEPENDING ON OUR EXACT POS, IT IS POSSIBLE WE BRIEFLY ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE WHILE WE AVOIDED THE BLIMP. AT 1200 FT, ABOUT 1/2 MI OFFSHORE, WE RESUMED AN EASTERLY COURSE. THIS RPT IS NOT JUST ABOUT A POSSIBLE CLASS B VIOLATION. IT IS ABOUT AN ADVERTISING BLIMP POSITIONED JUST OFFSHORE IN AIRSPACE USED AS THE SOUTHEASTERN FUNNEL OF THE NEW YORK CLASS B CORRIDOR. THE BLIMP, I REALIZE, WAS PROBABLY LEGAL. BUT ITS PRESENCE IS TANTAMOUNT TO ERECTING A BILLBOARD IN A TRAVEL LANE OF A HWY. THE BLIMP OPERATOR COULD APPLY FOR A WAIVER SIMILAR TO BANNER-TOW ACFT, ALLOWING IT TO BE LOWER (AND OUT OF THE WAY OF TRANSITING AIRPLANES). ALSO, THE OPERATOR SHOULD INFORM FSS SO WE COULD HAVE BEEN ALERTED IN ADVANCE TO ITS PRESENCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.