Two legendary pilots – Bill Brennand and Michael Goulian – will be on hand at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh in the Goodyear Aviation exhibit to help the company celebrate its 100th anniversary.
A free autograph session will take place at Booth B2131, Wednesday, July 29, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
In 2009, Goodyear is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its aviation tires. While much of the day-to-day business focuses on conventional applications – such as commercial and military aircraft and business jets – the company also has a storied heritage of innovation in air racing, one that continues today. Goodyear Aviation is the 2009 Official Global Supplier of aircraft tires for the Red Bull Air Race World Championship.
Goodyear’s history in the sport goes back to 1909, when racing pilots at the International Air Races in Reims, France, selected the Goodyear Wing “Aeroplane” tire for their planes.
Likewise, one of the early American air racing stars chose Goodyear for his competitive career. Back in the 1940s, Bill Brennand made his name by competing in many of the popular air racing events of the day. He burst on the scene in his first air race, the 1947 National Air Race in Cleveland, Ohio, where he took first place in his class. He took first again the next year in Miami and again in Cleveland in 1949.
The Oshkosh native was inducted into the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame in 1995.
The 39-year-old Goulian has been in the aviation business since he was 18. Like Brennand, he flies only with Goodyear tires on his aircraft. Both his custom-built Castrol Aviator Extra 330SC for air shows and his Edge 540 for Red Bull Air Races are equipped with Goodyear Flight Custom III and Flight Special II Tires. Goulian has been a member of three US World Aerobatic teams and is a past US National Aerobatic Champion.
For more information: www.goodyearaviation.com or www.airventure.org
