It's a bird, It's a plane, It's a....what the heck is that thing?

[Riggs]

Got home from work this afternoon and was out checking the garden when I happened to look up and see this. This was the first time I have ever seen a blimp other than on TV. I assume it was heading to Charlotte for the Nascar race this weekend. It really caught me off guard for a second. I did make sure my kids got to see it. It's amazing how little you know about a blimp when a 4 year old starts asking questions.  :D

[LAZERDAN]

HEY LOOK    it's the Goodrich blimp             anyone remember that one ?

[Okrafarmer]

HEY LOOK    it's the Goodrich blimp             anyone remember that one ?

I think it was the Goodyear blimp.

I've read online that there are more blimps around now than there were a few years ago. I saw one fly over here about three years ago.

[Den Socling]

We see at least one every year. They cover Little League in Williamsport. The sound they make is easily recognized and you don't have to hurry outside to see it. They aren't too fast.

[ouachita]

For years, one of the Goodyear blimps was housed at the Goodyear Blimp Base in Spring, Texas, just north of Houston.  Since prevailing winds during the summer is usually from the southwest, the blimp would come in for tie up from the northeast......RIGHT OVER INTERSTATE 45 DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC.  Big accident area.  Even without an accident, traffic would slow way down to watch.
T

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

It's 3 power lines.  ;D

[SPIKER]

They were/are based out of Akron Ohio, seen a LOT of them over the years when they come & go.   Interesting fact the hanger there is so big it can create it's own weather inside on particularly cold/warm/humid days...

I been AROUND it many time never inside.   back in high school my oldest sister dated a goodyear engineer, offered family a tour but couldn't go :(

I think there are half dozen or so different Blimps now.

Mark

[clww]

Probably making their way to Charlotte for the races this weekend.

[beenthere]

There are three based in the U.S.: the Spirit of Goodyear, based in Akron, Ohio; the Spirit of Innovation based in Pompano Beach, Florida; and the Spirit of America based near Los Angeles. Goodyear also operates a blimp in China named The Navigator. Goodyear has operated as many as eight at a time since its first commercial ship, the Pilgrim, flew in 1925. .

Quote from the Goodyear blimp site.

[Fraxinus]

Never seen one of them but I often see the state helicopter going to and from the mountains where some dumb doofus(es) has done something stupid and needs to be rescued on my dime.  This would be a great weekend for it since it's cold, windy and probably snow up over 3 or 4000 feet.  And there are all kinds of flatlanders around with nothing better to do.

[florida]

When my oldest son was about 20 he and his GF were driving past the airport one day just as the Goodyear blimp was landing in the grass next to the runway. He turned in and drove over to where the blimp had landed to watch. After a few minutes they got out and walked over to the blimp and talked to the pilots. After about 10 minutes of conversation one of the pilots told him f they had some time they'd take them up in a few minutes.
Of course they had time and so got a 90 minute blimp ride over the beaches!

[LAZERDAN]

  This is what I was talking about                                                                                                                                                                                                             http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=video&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDwQtwIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DJUTAgplO-YA&ei=gymiUcbQMOqDyAGjyYCgDA&usg=AFQjCNFXwNAKBUcwxFzs158wC5qPWSsjUQ

[Sonofman]

I used to live in the southern end of Concord NC. I was about 3 miles from the track and could see and hear it from my house. The blimp was there every year for the races this week if I remember correctly.

I now live in the upstate of SC, not too far from Greenwood. There is a large Fuji film plant here in Greenwood. Fuji has or had a blimp and we used to see it come over here from time to time, a smaller blimp than the Goodyear, however.

[Autocar]

Where I was logging this past week I heard a strange noise and here the Goodyear blimp was flying over not sure what day it was but think on Tuesday.

[iceman7668]

I live 10 miles from the University of Notre Dame. We see them every home game in the fall. The South Bend Airport is minutes from us where they tie up at. You can't miss the strange buzzing type noise they make when they pass overhead.

[Sixacresand]

They were kinda common in the 50's.  I remember a grade school teacher told our class to sit down, its only a blimp going over. 

[sawguy21]

We were driving between Yuma and Quartzite, I noticed something strange in the sky. We got closer and recognized a white blimp hovering. I suspect the crew was monitoring testing at the army proving grounds. They likely would not have approved of me taking a picture but without a long lens it is just a white dot.

[Okrafarmer]

If you were in a place where it was legal for you to be, how could they object to you taking a picture? The military can't hide everything, especially big things like blimps. Someone's sure to get a glimpse.