The next generation of the well-known Goodyear blimp is getting ready to take flight as the company moves toward replacing its old fleet of airships with a new trio.The helium-filled airship, assembled at an Akron-area hangar and unveiled there yesterday, is bigger, quicker and more maneuverable than earlier models, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co said.
The 246-foot (75-meter) airship fits 12 passengers and has a semi-rigid internal skeleton, a feature that wasn’t present in earlier models and raises questions about whether it is truly a blimp, though the company still refers to it as such.The structure is covered by a silver, balloon-like body emblazoned with Goodyear’s yellow logo on a blue background.