Carson, CA – An aviation era ended March 14 as the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company deflated the last of its 1970s-style blimps. The last blimp floating was Spirit of Innovation. News wire reports from the scene indicate a mixed reaction among Goodyear employees who witnessed the momentous occasion. While some of the witnesses were shedding tears, others are excited about the upgrades that characterize the new fleet.
Goodyear launched its first blimp in 1925 and the ships have hovered over numerous outdoor sporting events over the years.
In a corporate press release last month, Goodyear officials revealed plans “for major facilities upgrades at its Airship Operations base in California, renewing its commitment to the Goodyear Blimp’s presence in the Los Angeles area. The improvements will include an inflatable hangar for the new Goodyear Blimp Wingfoot Two, which is scheduled to arrive in Southern California by the end of the year. The company has operated its base in Carson since 1968. Since 2014, Goodyear has been transitioning from its 1970’s-era GZ model blimps to a new state-of-the-art fleet of blimps. The new blimps feature an entirely new design with capabilities including faster speeds, quieter engines, advanced on-board avionics and larger passenger capacity. Wingfoot One (christened in 2014) and Wingfoot Two (2016), currently operate in Florida and Ohio. Wingfoot Two will replace the Spirit of Innovation (2006), which is scheduled to retire in March.”
In the press release, Paul Fitzhenry, senior vice president of Goodyear’s Global Communications, is quoted as stating, “At Goodyear, we honor tradition and drive toward innovation. We are proud to usher in this new era of our world-renowned brand icon and look forward to operating the new blimp in our Carson base.”
Company officials stated the new hangar will be the first on the Carson airship base, which Goodyear opened in 1968. The hangar will be built out of 73 miles of partially translucent polyester fabric and will be almost nine-stories tall and longer than a football field. Construction of the hangar is expected to be completed in seven months and erected on the property in July. Additional facilities updates will include an enlarged mooring circle for ground handling, a new masting system, plus a new maintenance building.
