Goodyear blimp making special Florida flyover Tuesday: Where and when to look to the sky
It will appear in the South Florida skies from time to time and unlike a shooting star or comet, it's a lot easier to spot with the naked eye.
On Tuesday, to mark its 125th anniversary, one of the Goodyear blimps will make a six-hour trek from Lake City to its home base in Pompano Beach, just over the Palm Beach County border in Broward County.
The Pompano Beach site, one of Goodyear's three blimp bases along with Wingfoot Lake, Ohio, and Carson, California, has been in existence for 44 years.
On Monday, the blimp will depart from The PGA Tour Championship in Atlanta and stop in Lake City. On Tuesday, it is scheduled make the six-hour trip to Pompano Beach, flying over Orlando in the noon-1 p.m. hour and Palm Beach County at about 3 p.m., weather permitting.
Speaking of weather, Goodyear officials say they are cognizant of Tropical Storm Idalia in the northwestern Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico that will trek northeast and is scheduled to hit Florida's west coast during the time the blimp is traveling south.
If weather does come into play, officials say the trip south will be postponed.
But if all goes well and the blimp makes its scheduled trip, here's a few things to know about the blimp as you gaze overhead.
How many blimps does Goodyear own?
The company currently owns three in the United States and leases another in Germany. Wingfoot Two, based in Pompano Beach, will be the one overhead Tuesday.
Built in 2013, it was the first of the current fleet to be totally modernized. The balloon-like body of the airship — the “envelope” as it is called — is made of polyester with an innovative film from DuPont called Tedlar, surrounding a semirigid internal structure, which differentiates this airship from previous Goodyear blimps.
"Basically, all the previous models had simply been upgrades of the original blimps made dating back to the early 1900s," said Daniel Smith, a Goodyear senior airship communications specialist. "The new models are completely different than the physically cabled blimps of the past. These are electronically connected models that aren't controlled by the traditional levers in the cockpit."
Aside from the Goodyear blimps, there are only about six other airships in the world.
How fast can and will an airship go?
Smith said the Goodyear blimps typically travel at around 20-25 mph, but will go faster depending on wind patterns.
With that said, they can go up to 73 mph. The new models, equipped with three 200 horsepower engines, can certainly rev it up when needed.
How many pilots are in the blimp and can you take a ride in it?
There are always two pilots on board, and they will take turns piloting the craft.
As for a ride, those are by invitation only from Goodyear. Each year, the company receives hundreds of requests for rides and are limited. Requests must be made four to six months in advance, and a special committee will review requests.
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There are rules as to who can and can't take a ride and the majority of those who seek them will be turned away, including individuals or family reunions, political or lobbying organizations, religious endeavors, local sports or athletic teams, service clubs or organizations or marketing sponsorships, among others.
Requests from charitable organizations are considered if Goodyear determines the organization's mission and reputation is consistent with its own.
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James Coleman is a journalist at the Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at jcoleman@pbpost.com and follow him on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @JimColeman11. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Goodyear blimp making special 125th anniversary trip across Florida
