56 Cards Salute Lighter-Than-Air Flight with Artwork & Trivia
An Airship Advocate project · Admin of the largest airship enthusiast group on Facebook with 30,000+ members
Original Illustrations
History on 52 cards
Aircraft types by suit
Printed in the USA
Each Card Suit is a Different LTA Aircraft
Instead of simply hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades, the four playing card suits are reimagined as the four LTA aircraft types: balloons, blimps, semi-rigids and zeppelins, with the standard pip symbols worked into each design. Each suit focuses on the most famous people and aircraft around that type.
The insert card included with each deck defines each LTA aircraft type.Â
Lighter-Than-Air (LTA) aircraft are named so because they use a gas that is less dense than surrounding air and therefore “lighter-than-air.” This is what creates buoyant lift that causes the aircraft to rise. Balloons, represented by hearts, are not powered and simply drift with the wind.
Airships (or dirigibles) are LTA aircraft that are powered and therefor steerable/navigable. The 3 types of airships are defined by how much of their shape is maintained by a rigid structure: non-rigid, semi-rigid and rigid.
The suit of blimps (clubs) are for all non-rigid airships. Diamonds are for semi-rigid airships. Spades are for zeppelins or rigid airships whose entire shape comes from a rigid structure. Each suit features facts and trivia about that aircraft type.
Number Trivia Cards
Number card facts and follow up questions are in blue/orange on one side and multiple choice answers are on the opposite edge with the correct answer’s letter revealed in the same color as the question. Sometimes a shorthand note is included below the answers to provide an additional explanation.
Jacks - Queens - Kings - Aces
Card Back Design
Filling the back of each playing card in the Lighter Than Air Deck is a cloudlike motif that includes the four LTA aircraft symbols as well as a giant zeppelin and a central propeller. The URL of the deck creator appears here as a value add leading back to more LTA information.
Jokers
These two fit the lighter-than-air theme well and also carry a thank you. The joker pedals his penny-farthing patchwork airship in the clouds while trailing a special message.
Dave Fowler is a member of the Airship Advocates Facebook group, and his support is the reason The Lighter Than Air Deck exists. He also, incidentally, owns a penny-farthing. I had an idea for a visually unique and informative deck of cards about our shared interest, and Dave, a playing card collector and lighter-than-air enthusiast, reached out to offer his support. He didn’t ask for anything in return beyond seeing the deck completed. So putting a thank you on the jokers was an easy decision. Both black and red jokers carry the message and will appear in each deck.
Premium Deck
The premium deck features 310 gsm cardstock instead of 300 gsm.
(images coming soon)
The premium tuck box features embossing, foil and inside print.
(images coming soon)
Production Specs
The Lighter Than Air Deck will be made in the USA by Shuffled Ink, a family-owned company that specializes in premium custom playing cards. They’re well respected in the industry for quality standards comparable to big players like Bicycle, but with minimum order quantities that smaller creators can afford and much faster production times. Domestic sourcing and quick turnaround mean your deck will be heading your way much sooner following a successful Kickstarter launch!
The cards are high-quality black-core cardstock with a linen finish, so they fan, spring, and wear the way a proper deck should. We will be offering a standard deck using 300gsm cardstock and a premium deck using 310gsm cardstock, as well as tuck boxes that will feature embossing, foil treatment, inside printing, and other flourishes. But more details on that later.
Deck Creator's Note
The heyday of lighter-than-air (LTA) flight was an extraordinary period in humanity's race to reach the heavens. Aircraft of singular design and often massive proportions took to the skies as innovators, aviators and entrepreneurs dreamt of conquering the air.
Despite the technical wonders, aerial adventures and pioneering achievements produced during this era, many of the people and machines behind them seem largely forgotten today.
AirshipAdvocate.com started as a personal project to bring this history back to life in a form easily shared and enjoyed by anyone. What better way to do that than with a deck of playing cards?
The goal was to present the most compelling and surprising facts in LTA history that will make the reader wonder what else they don't know. That's why the URL appears on the back of each card as a starting point for the curious.
- Kirk McGinnis
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When does it launch?
October 20, 2026, on Kickstarter. The campaign runs 21 days.
What will it cost?
Pricing will be announced at launch. Early bird backers get the lowest price, and that tier is limited.
What’s the difference between the standard and premium decks?
The standard deck is 300gsm black-core cardstock with a linen finish. The premium deck is 310gsm with additional tuck box treatments including embossing and foil. Both contain all 56 cards and the same artwork.
Is this a real deck I can play with?
Yes. Poker size, standard indices, standard pip symbols worked into every aircraft. Any game you’d play with an ordinary deck works with this one.
How does the trivia work?
The court cards and aces carry a historical figure or aircraft along with facts about them. The number cards carry multiple choice questions, so you can quiz whoever you’re playing with between hands.
Where is it printed?
In the USA, by Shuffled Ink in Florida, a specialist playing card manufacturer.
Was AI used in the card designs?
No. Professional designers created the artwork.
When would it ship?
Production runs three to five weeks after the campaign closes and funds clear. A firm delivery estimate will be published with the campaign.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes. Shipping is charged separately and calculated by destination.
What is Kickstarter, and do I pay now?
Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform. Nothing is charged until the campaign ends successfully. Signing up here only means you’ll be notified when it goes live.
Why airships and lighter-than-air?
Most people know of the Hindenburg disaster and little else. Two centuries of flight history with genuine successes deserves more than to be a footnote to tragedy.