100 years later, Goodyear's blimps are still PR gold
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Wingfoot One, wrapped in a throwback gray. Photo: Katy Robinson, courtesy of Goodyear
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.
- Wingfoot One, the flagship in the fleet, is housed at Wingfoot Lake. It was recently re-wrapped in the original gray and black "Pilgrim" colors for the occasion.
Go deeper: The Akron Beacon Journal's photo gallery of the 100th anniversary flight.