Look up in the sky!
It’s not a swollen bird. It’s not a tubular plane. It’s the Goodyear Blimp!
Onlookers stare and point at the giant airship. It floats a few hundred feet above the streets and shores of Daytona Beach, Florida.
The unusual vehicle celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Goodyear introduced the first helium-filled, non-rigid airship in 1925. It was called Pilgrim.
The earliest airships had no internal structure. The pressure of lifting gas gave the vessels their shape. Since 2014, Goodyear has launched blimps with a rigid internal frame.
One of several airships in the Goodyear fleet will fly roughly 1,500 feet above the Daytona International Speedway at Sunday’s race. Remote camera technologies like drones can now more easily capture aerial footage. They are easy to maneuver and can stay in flight longer. But the blimp continues to survive. The vessel provides a grand view of cars zooming around the 2.5-mile superspeedway.
The blimp can’t match the racers—the vehicles on the track reach 200 miles per hour. But the blimp can fly up to 73 miles per hour. That’s an improvement to Pilgrim’s poky 50 miles per hour.
“It’s great to show the pack racing,” Fox Sports director Artie Kempner says. He expects to use aerial shots from the blimp about 50 times during Sunday’s race.
The Goodyear Blimp has been a regular at major sporting events since flying above the 1955 Rose Bowl. A few years later, it became a service vehicle for television coverage. It also functioned as a highly visible advertising platform. It’s been at every Daytona 500 since 1962.
Blimps have undergone major changes over the years. They’ve seen improvement in their steering technology, safety features, high-definition cameras, and more. Relocated engines and propellers provide quieter rides.
Riding on the blimp isn’t much different from traveling on a small plane. The 12-seater features reclining seats, tray tables, seatbelts, a safety briefing, and a restroom with stunning views. A few windows serve as the only air conditioning onboard.
Three U.S.-based airships are housed in California, Florida, and Ohio. Phones at each location ring off the hook with people inquiring about buying a ride. But not just anyone can climb aboard. Rides are invitation only.
There’s good news for would-be fliers. As part of the blimp’s 100-year anniversary celebration, Goodyear is giving three U.S. residents a chance to win a ride. The sweepstakes will provide each winner a certificate for two to fly on the blimp. The prize also includes $3,000 for travel expenses to one of Goodyear’s airship hangars.
Drones have another advantage over the dirigibles: A drone needs only one pilot. The Goodyear Blimp crew at Daytona tops 20 staffers. But the airship has adapted over the years. And it’s a cherished piece of history.
“It’s an iconic symbol for our nation, a floating piece of Americana,” blimp pilot Jensen Kervern says. “There’s nothing like it in the world.”
