Goodyear unveiled its next-generation blimp (airship) in 45 years with bigger size, more efficiency and boosted speed to cover more events than its predecessors.
Goodyear unveiled its next-generation blimp on Friday, first in the last 45 years. The airships, referred to as "The Goodyear blimps," were used by the renowned tire company for several decades. The previous model was retired just a month ago after 14 years of service. The new blimp, which currently goes by its temporary name GZ-20, is a result of year-long hard work at the company's Goodyear's Wingfoot Lake facility near Akron, Ohio.
According to Goodyear, the GZ-20 is larger, faster and more efficient. Compared to the previous Goodyear blimps, the new airship stands 50 feet longer at 246 feet. In terms of speed, the GZ-20 can accelerate up to 73 miles per hour, up from 50 miles per hour in the previous model. It can host 12 people on board. The exterior flaunts the company's signature blue-and-yellow branding on a silver background, CNET reports.
The new blimp was designed by ZLT Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik, based in Friedrichshafen, Germany, successors of the popular Zeppelin builders from the early twentieth century.
"It's really, really different looking," Laura Casenhiser, senior IT business analyst at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, told a local newspaper Ohio.com. "I think when people see it in the sky over Akron ... people will really be shocked. It will really be fun. It's just innovative and high tech." Casenhiser, who has been with the company for more than 40 years, was among the Goodyear team members to get the first glimpse of the giant airship.
Goodyear said that the new blimp was subjected to a series of test flight before officially hitting service. The 116-year-old company purchased two other blimps, which will go into service in 2015 and 2017, respectively.
As for the first giant blimp, Goodyear is turning to the public to suggest a name. Through "Name the Blimp" contest in the United States, anyone over 18 years can make a suggestion and chances are the new blimp will carry the name as it flies around America.