4 days ago
100 years later, Goodyear's blimps are still PR gold
After 100 years, the Goodyear blimp remains an icon of the skies.
Why it matters: The airship doubles as one of the greatest promotional tools ever — for the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in Akron — as it captures aerial footage of the world's biggest sporting events.
Flashback: Goodyear launched its aeronautics division in 1910 and constructed the Wingfoot Lake Hangar in Suffield (south of Akron) in 1917 to build airships for the U.S. Navy.
The blimp program began in 1925 with the introduction of "Pilgrim" — the world's first helium-filled, non-rigid airship.
The fleet grew over the next decade with the additions of Puritan (1928), Volunteer (1929), Mayflower (1929), Vigilant (1929), Defender (1929), Reliance (1931) and Resolute (1932).
Between the lines: Beyond military applications, Goodyear executives hoped that wealthy Americans would adopt blimps for leisure and luxury travel — a kind of air yacht.
Reality check: Today's blimps are used chiefly for public relations.
Goodyear operates four of the world's 20. They are no longer technically "blimps," as they feature semi-rigid frames designed in partnership with Germany's Zeppelin.
By the numbers: At 250 feet in length, each Goodyear airship is longer than a Boeing 747. They typically cruise at 30-40 miles per hour, with max speeds of over 70 miles per hour.
The latest: Goodyear's three U.S.-based blimps converged on Northeast Ohio last week for the 100th Anniversary celebration.
💭 Sam's thought bubble: I got a glimpse of the trio flying over Akron's Canal Park at last Tuesday's RubberDucks game.
