The Goodyear Blimp Has Been Flying Over America for 100 Years

The Goodyear Blimp is an airship that is also a traveling advertisement for the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. The airships are immediately recognizable to most Americans.

For the past 100 years, Goodyear has flown blimps over major sporting events, including the Daytona 500 car race. The blimp has been at every Daytona 500 race since 1962.

In 2025 to celebrate the anniversary of the Goodyear Blimp, the airships are taking a special tour of big events around the country.

Goodyear operates three 75-meter-long airships, called Wingfoot One, Two and Three. Wingfoot One is based near Akron, Ohio, which is also home to the company’s headquarters. Wingfoot Two is based near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The third airship is based near Los Angeles, California.

Photography from the air

Today, there are many camera technologies, such as drones, that have changed aerial photography. However, the blimp continues to provide pictures from the air that are unusual. At the Daytona 500, for example, the airship provides a bird’s eye view of the speedway that cannot be equaled.

Fox Sports director Artie Kempner spoke to the Associated Press about television coverage of the race. Kempner said, “It’s great to show the pack racing.” He added that he expected to use aerial pictures from the blimp about 50 times during his coverage.

The Goodyear Blimp has been a regular sight at major sporting events since flying above the 1955 Rose Bowl American football game. It became a service vehicle for television coverage providing shots from high above events. At the same time, it has been a recognizable advertising vehicle for the Goodyear company.

Over the years, blimps have undergone many changes. They have been equipped with improvements to steering, camera, and safety technology. The airship is quieter to ride because the engines and propellers have been repositioned.

Riding on the blimp is not too different from traveling on a small airplane. Each can carry 12 passengers and has reclining seats, tables, seatbelts, and a bathroom.

The blimp offers a smooth ride even at its top speed of 117 kilometers per hour.

“It’s an iconic symbol for our nation, a floating piece of Americana,” said blimp pilot Jensen Kervern. She added, “Despite changes in technology and our environment, people still get so excited to see the blimp."

Goodyear representatives say the blimps have covered more than 2,500 events and taken more than 500,000 passengers for rides. President Ronald Reagan might be the most famous passenger.

Already in 2025, the Goodyear fleet has flown over college football games at the Rose Bowl and the Orange Bowl, professional sports games, and golf competitions at Pebble Beach, California.

One of the blimps is also expected to appear at the music festival Coachella, at WrestleMania, and at the Academy Awards.

Some people, however, might wonder whether the blimp will survive another 100 years. They point to improving drone technology and note that the Goodyear Blimp crew at Daytona required 20 people.

But blimp pilot Kervern is not too worried. She said, “There’s nothing like it in the world.”

I’m Anna Matteo.

Mark Long reported this story for the Associated Press. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English.

blimp –n. a large airship that is lighter than air because it contains bags of gas such as helium

tour –n. a trip involving many stops often to promote a performance or a product

aerial –adj. from the air

bird’s eye view –idiom how things look from high above

pack –n. a group of things, such as race cars that are close together involved in a common purpose or event

steering –n. the equipment involved in turning a vehicle

propeller –n. the moving device that lets a ship or certain kinds of aircraft move

reclining –adj. a seat with a back that is able to be adjusted for comfort

iconic –adj. something that is widely recognized and symbolic

symbol –n. a picture or thing that is closely associated with or represents another thing or quality

fleet –n. the total number of similar vehicles used by a company or military group

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