Since the late 1950s airships have proven tobe particularly weil suited to advertising rnissions and promotional flights: they provide an advertising space that is visible for miles, they enjoy great popularity and benefit from a certain sense of nostalgia. From the 1970s the use of incombustible heliurn as a lifting gas once more enabled round trips tobe made with passengers in Germany. Hot air airships, non-rigid and semi-rigid airships are now being built and operated in Germany.