The Goodyear blimp is back

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a UFO? No, despite the scores of twitterers that misidentified the well-known motor-driven airship during a night flight over London, it’s the Goodyear blimp, which returned to European airspace during March after a 12-year leave of absence.

Over the last decade, Goodyear Blimps have flown over the USA, Brazil and China, but this news marks the first European tour since 1999. Between March and October, two Goodyear Blimps named Spirit of Safety I and Spirit of Safety II will visit 20 countries, with the tour starting in the UK. Shortly after the aforementioned night-flight over London, Tyres & Accessories went blimping on the Goodyear airship and found out a little more about the craft’s current mission.

“It’s so exciting to be bringing the Goodyear Blimp back to the UK,” said Goodyear’s marketing director Eddy Geerdink.  “For over 80 years, we have used the famous airship as an aerial safety ambassador and we hope to continue this tradition by using the Goodyear blimp to lead on a number of road safety initiatives in the UK and throughout its European safety tour.

He continued: “A flight in the Blimp is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we are confident it will generate a lot of interest as it tours the country. I’m sure it will be a difficult decision to choose our winners, but we’re looking forward to seeing the nominations.”

Local heroes, strategic fly pasts add to exposure

To mark the arrival of Spirit of Safety I, Goodyear is calling for people to nominate those “local heroes” they believe are worthy of winning an exclusive flight in the blimp. Whether it is a family member, partner, friend or work colleague, Goodyear is appealing to residents across the nation to suggest those who go that extra mile and to state reasons as to why they should be chosen.

The competition, which will run for the duration of the Blimp’s tour within the UK, will draw weekly winners awarding them the VIP experience of a flight in the Blimp. In addition to a tour of the UK, stopping in some of the largest cities outside the capital including Birmingham and Manchester (as well as London) Tyres & Accessories also understands that the company has arranged for the blimp to make a series of strategic fly pasts over high-profile events. These are rumoured to include premiership football match fly-pasts, blimping over the top of six nation rugby and even getting a bird’s eye view of the royal wedding.

Road safety

The serious side to the Goodyear blimp’s return to the UK is its mission to promote the brand’s consumer focus on road safety, leading the way in a number of safety initiatives and events. Following the completion of a survey commissioned by Goodyear’s UK HQ, the tyre firm is also set to up the road-safety ante by promoting better and younger driver education and lobbying for re-testing of the highway code to be introduced. And what’s more the campaign is backed by motoring legend Quentin Wilson.

More on this to follow…

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