Goodyear Christens New Blimp

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The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company christened its newest blimp, Wingfoot Three, on Thursday, completing the company’s goal to renew its iconic blimp fleet. The ceremony took place on the 89th anniversary of the christening of a previous Goodyear Blimp by Amelia Earhart. Wingfoot Three was christened by Shaesta Waiz, who is known for being the youngest woman to fly solo around the world in a single-engine aircraft.

“Shaesta is an aviation pioneer, an inspiring role model and a passionate advocate of pursuing STEM education and careers,” said Goodyear Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President Richard J. Kramer. “Goodyear is proud to welcome Shaesta to the family of christeners of our iconic blimps.”

Goodyear says its three Wingfoot models are faster, more maneuverable and more than 50 feet longer than their predecessors, with significant upgrades to the avionics and flight control systems. The new flight control system replaces the manual flight system that Goodyear has been using on its airships since 1925. The Wingfoot blimps have a top speed of 73 miles per hour and can carry up to 12 passengers. Wingfoot One was launched in 2014 and Wingfoot Two in 2016.

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