Goodyear Blimp

Wingfoot One (N1A) is not actually a blimp, but rather a semi-rigid airship built by Luftschiffbau Zeppelin.^[1]

Spirit of Innovation (N4A), Goodyear's last true blimp (non-rigid airship), was retired on March 14, 2017.^[2]

The Goodyear Blimp is any one of a fleet of airships (or dirigibles) operated by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, used mainly for advertising purposes and capturing aerial views of live sporting events for television.^[3] The term blimp itself is defined as a non-rigid airship—without any internal structure, the pressure of lifting gas within the airship envelope maintains the vessel's shape.

From the launch of the Pilgrim in 1925 to the retiring of the Spirit of Innovation in 2017, Goodyear generally owned and operated non-rigid airships in its global public relations fleet. In 2014, Goodyear began to replace its three U.S. non-rigid airships (blimps) with three new semi-rigid airships, each of which have a rigid internal frame. Although technically incorrect, Goodyear continues to use "blimp" in reference to these new semi-rigid airships.^[1] Wingfoot One, the first such model in Goodyear's U.S. fleet, was christened on August 23, 2014, at the Wingfoot Lake Airship Hangar, near the company's headquarters in Akron, Ohio.^[4]

^ ^a ^b Ewinger, James (March 14, 2014). "Goodyear rolls out newest blimp (Cody B)with the help of Zeppelin". The Plain Dealer via Cleveland.com. Plain Dealer Publishing Co. and Northeast Ohio Media Group. Archived from the original on July 21, 2014. Retrieved July 21, 2014. The three trusses mean that the new airship is semi-rigid. As such it is not a blimp, which is defined as non-rigid... But Goodyear's newest airship will still be called a blimp. 'The term Goodyear Blimp is so universally recognized that the company is proud to have it continue, regardless of any technical difference,' said Goodyear spokesman Doug Grassian.
^ "Goodyear retires blimps but keeps familiar form in flight". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. March 14, 2017. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved March 14, 2017. Goodyear has let the helium out of the last of its fabled fleet of blimps, but the company's flight program will continue.
^ "Blimp Schedule". Archived from the original on 4 July 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^ Cohen, Aubrey (August 25, 2014). "Goodyear's New 'Wingfoot One Cody B' Isn't a Blimp". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Hearst Seattle Media, LLC. Retrieved September 4, 2014.

[NotBlimp-1] Ewinger, James (March 14, 2014). "Goodyear rolls out newest blimp (Cody B)with the help of Zeppelin". The Plain Dealer via Cleveland.com. Plain Dealer Publishing Co. and Northeast Ohio Media Group. Archived from the original on July 21, 2014. Retrieved July 21, 2014. The three trusses mean that the new airship is semi-rigid. As such it is not a blimp, which is defined as non-rigid... But Goodyear's newest airship will still be called a blimp. 'The term Goodyear Blimp is so universally recognized that the company is proud to have it continue, regardless of any technical difference,' said Goodyear spokesman Doug Grassian.

[Innovation2017-2] "Goodyear retires blimps but keeps familiar form in flight". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. March 14, 2017. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved March 14, 2017. Goodyear has let the helium out of the last of its fabled fleet of blimps, but the company's flight program will continue.

[3] "Blimp Schedule". Archived from the original on 4 July 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

[NotBlimp2-4] Cohen, Aubrey (August 25, 2014). "Goodyear's New 'Wingfoot One Cody B' Isn't a Blimp". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Hearst Seattle Media, LLC. Retrieved September 4, 2014.

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