It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane—It’s the Goodyear Blimp!

     The Goodyear Blimp is a familiar sight at sporting events and parades. Soaring high above the crowds, the blimp catches a bird’s eye view of the action below and offers a unique perspective to those watching the event on television; meanwhile, the people who witness the blimp in person feel the excitement of seeing an aircraft which, although very familiar, dates back to a time before the invention of heavier-than-air flight.


Left: The Defender with illuminated sign (ca. 1930). Right: The modern Goodyear Blimp ("Explore")

     The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company began producing airships in 1917 for the US Navy (“Explore”). The company sought to build a hangar near their company headquarters in Akron, Ohio; their search resulted in the construction of Wingfoot Lake Airship Base, which, as stated in the article “Explore the Blimp’s History,” was known as “’The Kitty Hawk of Lighter-Than-Air.’” This air ship base holds the distinction of being the United States’ oldest center for airship production (“Explore”). The Goodyear Blimps began their advertising career during the 1920s. While other pilots and aircraft entertained with trick flying and wing walking, the Goodyear Blimp flew overhead as a massive advertisement in the sky (“Explore”). The 1925 Goodyear Pilgrim was the first helium airship with a non-rigid structure (“Explore”), meaning that the body of the airship was shaped by air and not an inflexible frame. The beginning of the 1930s brought the advent of illuminated advertisement. The Goodyear Blimp Defender was outfitted with a Neon-O-Gram, a series of neon-tube panels which, when lit up, spelled Goodyear. This was the first time that such a sign was affixed to an airship (“Explore”). During World War II, Goodyear once again assisted the US military by constructing and providing airships to the Navy; the airships escorted Navy ships across open water by keeping a watchful eye from above (“Explore”).

     In the 1950s, the Goodyear Blimp made its debut in the television industry. The blimp’s first live broadcast occurred on New Year’s Day, 1955 at the Tournament of Roses parade; this marked the first time that an aircraft televised an event live concurrently with national television (“Explore”). Needless to say, the phenomenon caught on, and the Goodyear Blimp quickly gained in popularity. More and more sporting events were televised, including the first Super Bowl in 1967, and the Goodyear Blimps continued to make appearances (“Explore”). Goodyear unveiled Skytacular, a moving image sign, on the Mayflower blimp in 1966 (“Explore”); the new technology opened many more options for advertising. The Goodyear Blimp made its first appearance outside of the United States in 1972 with the blimp Europa (“Explore”). In the following decade, the Goodyear Blimps covered their first World Series (1980) and their first Olympic Games (1984) (“Explore”). Further modifications were made to the blimps in later years; in 1996, for example, LED technology was incorporated into the blimps’ signs for the first time, allowing for thousands of colors and high-resolution images (“Explore”).

     The Goodyear Blimps are best known for their coverage of sporting events and parades; however, the blimps continue to play an important role in the community as well. During the third game of the 1989 World Series, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck San Francisco; the Goodyear Blimp which was broadcasting the event quickly switched duties and began surveying the damage and looking for victims (“Explore”). In 1992, the Goodyear Blimp Stars & Stripes assisted with Hurricane Andrew recovery efforts by broadcasting messages in English and Spanish on the sides of the blimp (“Explore”).

     The Goodyear Blimps are magnificent aircraft which are reminiscent of another era. Although airplanes and other heavier-than-air aircraft dominate aviation today, the Goodyear Blimps continue the tradition of lighter-than-air travel.

Works Cited

“Explore the Blimp’s History. Relive History. Goodyear Blimp, n.d. Web. 17 April 2016. http://www.goodyearblimp.com/relive-history/#page/3