This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Goodyear Blimp!
Goodyear’s journey into the skies began in 1910, when the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company launched its Aeronautics Department. Initially focused on developing rubberized fabrics and coatings for airplanes and airships, Goodyear soon began manufacturing its own lighter-than-air craft. The company played a key role in World War I, supplying blimps to the U.S. Navy for reconnaissance and surveillance. That contribution only grew during World War II, when Goodyear built over 150 blimps to help the Navy patrol for enemy submarines off the coasts.
In 1925, Goodyear launched the Pilgrim, the first helium-filled, non-rigid airship. With a top speed of 50 mph and a service ceiling of 5,000 feet, it logged over 95,000 miles and officially kicked off the Goodyear Blimp program. In 1930, Goodyear engineers added something new: a lighted neon sign, allowing the blimp to display messages even after dark. This marked the beginning of the Blimp’s evolution into a floating billboard.
With the rise of television in the 1950s, Goodyear once again innovated. In 1955, one of its blimps provided a live aerial broadcast of the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl game, offering a never-before-seen perspective.
Though early TV equipment was heavy and unwieldy, Goodyear’s airships helped pioneer a new way to experience live events. In 1967, the Blimp covered the first Super Bowl, and since then it has flown above more than 2,500 major events, including the World Series, Olympic Games, America’s Cup, and even the World Cup.
Goodyear’s current U.S. fleet includes three semi-rigid airships based in Florida, California, and Ohio, plus one that operates full-time in Europe. These next-generation airships stretch an impressive 246 feet long, cruise at up to 70 mph, and can fly for 22 hours straight — covering up to 621 miles in one journey.
Each airship has a 12-passenger gondola and features “EagleVision” — a high-tech LED display system that allows the blimp to broadcast bright, animated messages and images from the sky.
While public rides are no longer available, select corporate guests and members of the media are still invited aboard.