Lighter-than-air systems, or blimps, will be floated for consideration at the Bosworth Lecture Series on Thursday, May 9 at 7 p.m. at the Rogers Free Library. The event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited.

Capt. John E. Jackson, USN Ret. will provide an interesting and amusing PowerPoint presentation on the history and possible future uses of lighter-than-air systems, such as heavy-life cargo transport and even luxury air "voyaging."

While blimps have been deployed for various military and peacetime applications, in 2014 there were about 13 advertising airships worldwide, including the often-visible blimps for Hood, DirecTV, and MetLife.
Prof. Jackson has researched lighter-than-air systems for more than 40 years and flown five different commercial airships himself as well as a hot-air balloon. He has written extensively on the subject and was author of "Ships in the Sky" in 100 Years of U.S. Navy Airpower published by the U.S. Naval Institute in 2010. 

A retired naval officer, Prof Jackson has served on the faculty of the U.S. Naval War College since 1994, teaching national security affairs, and as program manager for the Chief of Naval Operations Professional Reading Program. He has been a longtime proponent of emerging technology and is an expert in unmanned systems and robotics.

Prof. Jackson spoke before the Men's Club about unmanned systems or "drones" in 2016 and about Corvette sports cars in 2018.

The Roswell S. Bosworth, Jr Lecture Series is presented by the Men's Club, a local organization that pays tribute to its founding member, former editor and publisher of the East Bay Newspapers, with lectures of general interest to the R.I. audience.