How Did We Manage That ???

A ride on the Goodyear Blimp

We "hitched a ride" on the blimp "Spirit of Akron" 03/10/96.
What an experience ! We thought you might enjoy some of the information Goodyear provides about blimps.

Airships - A Goodyear Tradition

For nearly 70 years, Goodyear blimps have plied the skies as very visible corporate symbols of the tire and rubber company that began operations in 1898.

Today these graceful giants log nearly 200,000 air miles per year traveling across the United States as Goodyear' "Aerial Ambassadors.

The blimp tradition began in 1925 when Goodyear built its first helium-filled public relations airship, the Pilgrim. Other ships followed, most named after winners of the famed America's Cup yacht race. Naming the airships after America's Cup winners began with then Goodyear Chairman Paul W. Litchfield. A sailing enthusiast, he envisioned blimps as giant sailing ships of the skies.

Over the years, Goodyear built more than 300 airships, more than any other Company in the world. Akron, Ohio, the company's corporate headquarters, became the center of blimp manufacturing. Even though Goodyear no longer manufactures airships, lighter-than-air aviation's' heritage is rooted there through the continued operation of the company's fleet, which now includes three brightly colored blimps.

Flying Behemouths

In the 1930's Goodyear built two giant rigid airships for the Navy. Within their envelopes, they had internal metal frames used to maintain their shape. The aircraft measured more than two football fields in length and needed 6.5 million cubic feet of helium to become airborne at its gross weight of more than 400,000 pounds.

The USS Akron and USS Macon were designed as aerial aircraft carriers and could launch and retrieve specially equipped planes planes while in flight Although a good concept, sadly, both airships were lost in storms within two years of going into service, effectively ending the era or the rigid airships.

In the 1940's and 1950's, Goodyear built a series of large surveillance airships used to protect merchant fleets along the coast. They also served as early warning radar stations. Some of these airships could stay aloft for more than a week at a time. In fact, an airship of this type still holds the flying endurance record of 11 days in flight. The airship was a Goodyear-built ZPG-2 called the Snow Bird. In March 1957 it flew from Weymouth, Mass., to Europe and Africa and back to Key West, Fla., without refueling or landing.

Today Goodyear operates three airships in the United States- The Eagle based in Las Angeles, Calif.; the Spirit of Akron, based in Akron; and the Stars & Stripes, Based in Pompano Beach, Fla. to the top

AIRSHIP TYPES

There are three airship classifications, rigid, like the Akron and Macon; semi-rigid, which have rigid keels that run the length of the envelope; and non-rigid, like Goodyear's Eagle, Stars & Stripes and Spirit of Akron.

In non-rigid airships, the only type in general use today, the internal pessure of the lifting gas (non- flammable helium) maintains the shape of the envelope, or the airship's polyester fabric skin. Internal air compartments, called ballonets, are inflated or deflated with air to compensate for ambient pressure differences These airships have no internal framework. to the top

WHATS IN A NAME

Over the years, there has been a lot of speculation about the derivation of the word "blimp". The most plausible explanation, experts claim is that the name originated with Lt. A.D. Cunningham of Great Britain's Royal Navy Air Service. He Commanded the air station at Capel, England, during world war I.

As the story goes, while conducting a weekly inspection of the station, Cunningham playfully flipped his thumb at the envelope of His Majesty's Airship SS-12 and an odd noise echoed off the taut fabric..

"Blimp"! he cried out humorously, imitating the sound. As they say, the rest is history. to the top

LIGHT UP THE SKY

All of Goodyear's current airships are equipped with a network of colored lights attached to their sides to flash messages after dark The night-sign, called "Super Skytacular", Is 105 feet long and 24.5 feet high. Messages and intricate animation are combined, for example, to tell the public about upcoming charity and civic events, flash holiday greetings, and urge viewers to support worthwhile community programs.

More than 50 percent of the messages flashed on the night-signs of the Goodyear airships are devoted to public service. The remainder are devoted to Goodyear marketing and dealer support programs.

The night-sign messages and animations are created on sophisticated design computers in a special electronics lab in Akron. A technician "draws" each animation using a computer "mouse" as the brush and a monitor screen as the canvas. A typical six-minute show consists of 40 million bits of information that control color, sequence and movement on the blimp's light panels.

Through the wonders of Super Skytacular", Santa's sleigh and reindeer flash Yuletide greetings, a turkey narrowly escapes becoming Thanksgiving dinner, a giant Fourth of July firecracker explodes to form an American flag, two Indy cars battle over first place and an animation of the Goodyear blimp itself flies over a major city skyline.

Night-sign messages also can be preprogrammed at each airship by resident electronics technicians. The entire catalog of sight-sign animations, totaling more than 1,000 to date, are at their disposal. to the top

SKILLED PERSONNEL AND SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

Each Goodyear airship is supported by a team of qualified specialists operating equipment especially designed for the efficient operations of the program. Each operation is staffed by five pilots, 16 ground crew personnel and a public relations representative. As special ambassadors of the company, each crew member meets thousands of people each year. Personnel are selected for their outstanding character and communication skills as well as professional abilities.

The pilot in charge of earth airship is responsible for the crew and equipment. Based on weather conditions and other circumstances, the decision to fly on any given day belongs to the pilot-in charge.

Pilots undergo a comprehensive Goodyear lighter-than-air flight training program before receiving an FAA LTA (lighter than air) pilot certification.

Crew members serve dual roles. In addition to landing and launching the airships during flight operations, they serve as electronics technicians, mechanics, riggers and administrative assistants.

Each operation travels with a fleet of ground support vehicles that includes a large bus, a tractor-trailer rig and a passenger van.

The bus serves as a rolling administrative office and the ground crews transportation. The tractor-trailer rig houses an electronics shop and a mechanic's work area for field repairs of the airship and support equipment. The van is used as a command car and utility vehicle.

The airship and all the vehicles are linked by private two-way radio communications. to the top

The Blimp and Television

From the Rose Bowl to the Indy 500, from the U.S. Open Golf Tournament to the Statue of Liberty's 100th birthday party, the Goodyear blimps have covered it all as the aerial eyes of a television-viewing world. The blimps inherent stability makes is ideal for providing a spectacular view of the world below for television. Using Goodyear's state-of the-art Gyrocam 360 television mount suspended below the gondola, sports fans are treated to football replays that bring the chalkboard to life, or camera shots that can zoom in on pro golfers ball lost in the rough during Tournament play.

A microwave transmitter sends the camera signal to the ground antenna attached to the television networks control truck. The blimp pilot listens for cues from the show's director in order to best position the ship for the next "live shot"

It has been said the blimp provides television viewers with the best seat in the house as it beams back pictures of such major sporting events as the Super Bowl, the World Series, the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament, PGA golf and championship auto racing. to the top

Airship of the 90's

Goodyear's new generation air features some of the latest technology found on today's high performance jet aircraft. Designated GZ-22 and christened Spirit of Akron, the 205.5-foot long airship has a volume of 247,800 cubic feet. Like its sister ships, Eagle and Stars & Stripes, The Spirit of Akron sports a colorful blue and yellow paint scheme- Goodyear's corporate colors and the message "#1 in Tires".

Propelled by two 420 hp turboprop engines with ducted and vectored fans, the Spirit is faster and more maneuverable than any other airship flying today.

The ship has a maximum speed of 65 mph and the ducted fan engines allow it to take off nearly vertically. New space-age materials are incorporated in the streamlined gondola. With over 8,000 lights, the airships night sign is bigger and brighter than ever.

The Spirit is based at Goodyear's Wingfoot Lake airship facility just southeast of Akron, Ohio. to the top

Ride Information

Goodyear wishes it could accommodate everyone who would like to ride in the blimp. Unfortunately, this is physically impossible since the blimps can carry only a few passengers from each of the many cities they visit each year. The maximum passenger capacity of the Goodyear blimps is five to six persons on each flight.

Because of the heavy demand for flights year-around, rides are limited to members of the press, radio and television, and a few corporate trade guests of Goodyear manufacturing and sales divisions BY INVITATION ONLY.