For New Children’s Exhibit Along With Keepsake Pieces Of ‘Spirit Of Goodyear’

On the opening day of the EAA AirVenture Airshow and  Fly-In at Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced it is donating the last remaining gondola frame to the EAA Museum to be part of a new children’s exhibit.

The gondola frame is from the Goodyear GZ20 model era of blimps that were flying for nearly 40 years. During that time, when a blimp was retired, its gondola was usually refurbished and installed on a new blimp.

The donated frame was in use on the Europa, a blimp that flew throughout Europe in the 1980s and then on the Stars and Stripes in the early 2000s. The traditional reuse of the gondola ended in 2011 when Goodyear transitioned to the New Technology semi-rigid airship platform that is still in use today.

Michael Dougherty, Goodyear’s Chief Pilot said, “As we celebrate our blimp program's 100th anniversary, there's no better way to honor its legacy than by inspiring the next generation of aviation enthusiasts. We hope this exhibit sparks curiosity and dreams of flight on aircraft of all kinds in countless children into the future."

Chris Henry, Manager of the EAA Aviation Museum said, “Goodyear’s Blimp flying has been an iconic part of aviation for a century, so this donation is a great fit as part of our museum’s mission to tell the story of flight. Just as Goodyear Blimps have brought fascination with flight, this donation will be part of a future exhibit that inspires those with aviation dreams.”

In addition to the gondola frame, Goodyear is also offering pieces of the envelope fabric from the Spirit of Goodyear blimp that flew from 2000 to 2014. The limited edition keepsakes are available for purchase on the Goodyear website, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the EAA Museum to further assist the children’s museum project.

FMI:  corporate.goodyear.com/