Wednesday, January 9, 2013

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2012: The Goodyear Blimp

By Fred Harl
What is a sporting event (or in this case an aero-sport extravaganza) without the eye in the sky Goodyear Blimp?  Not to worry - the "Spirit of Goodyear" GZ-20A was over the field for a few days, giving rides to a select few winners of the sweepstakes held during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2012.   The "Spirit of Goodyear" is named in honor of the employees of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. and was christened in 2000 by astronaut the late Sally Ride.  The blimp carries the EagleVision lighting system that provides high-resolution displays.  It is noticeably smaller than the Farmer's Insurance Zeppelin dirigible that was flying at last year's AirVenture, but no less iconic.  Here are some views of the Goodyear blimp as it flew over the tower area near the end of its visit:











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