On Friday, Oct. 21, 2016, Goodyear christened its newest blimp, Wingfoot Two, in Akron, Ohio.
The new blimp is:
Bigger: At 246.4 ft. long, Wingfoot Two stretches over 4/5 the length of a football field and is 50 ft. longer than previous blimps.
Better: Since 1925 pilots of the previous generation of blimps controlled the airships’ movements with a manual flight system. Now, the new blimps feature custom computer-controlled avionics to better regulate engine thrust and up-and-down and right-and-left movement.
Faster: The new blimps hit speeds up to 73 mph (20 mph faster than previous models).
Stronger: Wingfoot Two sports a semi-rigid skeleton composed of aluminum and carbon fiber, compared to the soft, inflatable bodies used in previous fleets. The frame is now packed with 297,527 cubic feet of non-flammable helium, making it more buoyant and capable of lifting 700 pounds more than its predecessors. The engine placement high up on the envelope structure also provides a more maneuverable and quiet flight.
Source: http://generalaviationnews.comPictures of the day: A new blimp takes off