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 Post subject: RIP the Goodyear Blimp
PostPosted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 12:47 pm 
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The last of the Goodyear Blimps are being put out to pasture:


Goodyear Retires Blimps but Keeps Familiar Form in Flight

By JOHN ROGERS, Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Goodyear has let the helium out of the last of its fabled fleet of blimps, but the company's flight program will continue.

About two dozen employees were on hand early Tuesday to witness the deflation of California-based Spirit of Innovation.

But shed no tears, blimp fans, you'll still see a familiar blue-and-gold form floating over your favorite sports event or awards show.

Although the blimp's replacement, Wingfoot Two, will look about the same when it arrives at Goodyear's airship base in Carson later this year, it will be a semi-rigid dirigible.

Such aircraft, one of which has already replaced Goodyear's Florida blimp, have a frame, which means they maintain their shape when the helium is drained. Blimps, on the other hand, go flat. Wingfoot Two, currently operating in Ohio, will be replaced by yet another dirigible when it leaves there for Southern California.

Far more important to Goodyear is that the new airships are faster, quieter, larger, easier to fly and more maneuverable than the blimps it introduced more than 90 years ago. Still, the company plans to keep calling the new models blimps.

"Because a Goodyear Semi-rigid Dirigible doesn't roll off the tongue," laughed company airship historian Eddie Ogden.

Crew members Tuesday yanked a rip line to open a section at the top of the blimp's big gas bag, known as an envelope. It took about two minutes for it to crumple to the ground.

Ogden said Goodyear employees watched the deflation with mixed emotions.

"There were a couple tears because they've been working with blimps for so long," he said. "But the program has always changed over the decades and this is a step forward. The new model is incredible to watch fly."

The switch to dirigibles offers a similar-looking, cigar-shaped flying machine but one that's 246 feet long, nearly the length of a football field and 50 feet longer than the old blimps. With room for three engines instead of two, it will be able to hit freeway speeds of over 70 miles per hour and turn on a dime.

The quieter engines also will provide an advantage in covering golf tournaments, Ogden said, by eliminating the racket that can sometimes disrupt golfers lining up their putts. The ability to hover will allow a pilot to better position the aircraft to capture NASCAR race finishes and key moments in a baseball game.

And the ability to take off and land like a helicopter will put an end to those funny-looking runway pursuits by the ground crew.


https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states ... -in-flight

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 Post subject: RIP the Goodyear Blimp
PostPosted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 6:58 pm 
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Proud enemy of the United States--again!

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I am absolutely gutted by this loss.

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 Post subject: RIP the Goodyear Blimp
PostPosted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 7:14 pm 
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Summers in Queens NY back in the 70s were pretty cool when we would hear the whir of the Goodyear blimps motors as it flew by our house every evening. It used to park at Flushing Airport.

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 Post subject: RIP the Goodyear Blimp
PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 1:13 am 
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This somehow makes me sad, for reasons I cannot even fathom (much less articulate).

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 Post subject: RIP the Goodyear Blimp
PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 8:26 am 
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It seems like less of a loss and more of an upgrade to me. Is there a real reason to be upset that they are changing from one type of dirigible to another?


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 Post subject: RIP the Goodyear Blimp
PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 9:03 am 
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I thought it was the end of an era until I read the story, and now it doesn't matter, because yes, it's basically just an upgrade. The real loss was when they changed the blimp from the old classic gray with the black Goodyear logo on it. :)


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 Post subject: RIP the Goodyear Blimp
PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 9:47 am 
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The initial headlines had the same effect on me, until it became clear that the blimps will continue in some form. Like the spokesman said, "Goodyear semi-rigid dirigible doesn't roll off the tongue."

I saw Goodyear blimps flying over on at least two occasions in the 1990s, when I lived in the big city. Somewhere I've even got some quite detailed photos of one. It was low enough that my telephoto lens was able to get an almost frame-filling shot.

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 Post subject: RIP the Goodyear Blimp
PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 11:14 am 
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Jeff wrote:
I thought it was the end of an era until I read the story, and now it doesn't matter, because yes, it's basically just an upgrade. The real loss was when they changed the blimp from the old classic gray with the black Goodyear logo on it. :)


I'm a dirigible purist, Jeff. HOW CAN THEY GET AWAY WITH THIS??? :lol:

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 Post subject: RIP the Goodyear Blimp
PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 11:49 am 
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Friendly, Furry, Ellipsoidal

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Bannings: Bannings? We don't need no stinkin' bannings!
Goodyear NonBlimp.

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 Post subject: RIP the Goodyear Blimp
PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 1:55 pm 
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Kind Of Close For One Of These Jewels.

Joined: 26 Jan 2009
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Oh, the humanity.



Too soon?


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 Post subject: RIP the Goodyear Blimp
PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 3:21 pm 
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Brotoro wrote:
Goodyear NonBlimp.


Goodyear Zeppelin?

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 Post subject: RIP the Goodyear Blimp
PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 3:56 pm 
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Kind Of Close For One Of These Jewels.

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