Unobtanium: My ride in the Goodyear blimp

By ROBBIE CULVER

Unobtainium is defined as a material or experience that is impossible to obtain or purchase. Example: Certified aircraft replacement parts at a reasonable price.

Or getting the chance to ride in one of the Goodyear blimps.

As a young boy growing up in Madison, Wisconsin, one of my most vivid memories was from 1973 when the Goodyear blimp passed low over our home. I heard it first — then it appeared over the trees, moving slowly across the sky.

The buzzing of the engines reverberated in the neighborhood as the blimp passed over, its silhouette blocking the sun and casting a long shadow. It is a moment I will never forget, and it led to a life long fascination with the blimp.

When I first heard that two Goodyear blimps were coming to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the blimp’s first test flight on June 3, 1925, I asked to write a story on the blimps for AirVenture Today, the daily newspaper put out by the Experimental Aircraft Association during the show.

That gave me a chance to interview Michael Dougherty, Goodyear’s Chief Pilot and Operations Manager.

Then came a most unexpected email from Jen Epling, Goodyear’s Airships Communications and Community Specialist: “Hi Robbie, We have our manifests ready! I can offer you a seat to fly on Wednesday, July 23, at 4:45 p.m. Would this work for you and your schedule?”

I had to read it three times. Does anyone say no?

Rides in the Goodyear blimp are unobtainium. They cannot be bought and they are by invitation only.

So there I was on Wednesday at Pioneer Airport behind the EAA Aviation Museum waiting with a group of equally astonished passengers, watching as the blimps descended, swapped passengers, and took off again to tour the AirVenture grounds at low altitude.

At Oshkosh. During the air show. Is this really happening?

Bringing us back to earth, Jen Eppling gave a great safety briefing, which included a reminder to put our phones in airplane mode “when on the ship.”

When it was our turn to head out to board, our group was escorted by another Goodyear pilot onto the grass to a position just ahead of where our blimp, Wingfoot One, would land.

When seen from a distance, it is obvious the blimp is large. But when seen up close, especially from below, it is astonishing to take in. And yet it moves with grace and purpose.

The approach to landing maneuvers involved a nearly vertical descent to the team of crew members waiting to swap the passengers. I stood there watching, still in disbelief that I was going.

A crew of 20 travels with the blimp and Jen describes them as “a big family.” It is obvious why — clearly they are more than a crew. Each of them clearly understands the unique work they do and how special the blimps are.

When I was talking to pilot Jerry Hissem, he was grinning from ear to ear as he discussed his work. I laughed when he spoke of “flying the bag.”

To board the blimp, weight is a concern, as is temperature — the day I flew it was hot and very humid with a strong wind. Everything about flying the blimp involves careful weight consideration and buoyancy is a constant concern.

One pilot described situations where the airship would see an 800-pound difference in weight from an early morning flight to one later in the day.

And seeing it handled in the wind gave me a profound respect for the processes involved — a crew member stood holding a windsock during the approach, and the pilot maneuvered to land directly into the wind.

As the blimp eased onto the ground, it gently moved back and forth, almost swaying. The crew rolled a staircase out to change passengers, and began a carefully choreographed exchange of those coming off and those getting on.

Hissem explained it is a careful balance as they load and unload. Those coming off are sent to the back of the gondola in pairs, and sit waiting as two passengers climb the ladder and take their seats. Then the two in the back get off and the process repeats until all six passengers have been swapped.

Upon embarking, we found a seat as instructed and buckled in — the large windows make every seat equally good.

It didn’t take long for the pilots to set up for takeoff and off we went. After a smooth departure and climb, the seatbelt sign came off and we were free to move around the cabin.

As we climbed out over the museum, we could see Wingfoot Two — the other blimp brought to Oshkosh — flying nearby. It is one thing to see a Goodyear blimp fly — it is an entirely different experience to see one fly from another blimp.

The airship gently swayed and rolled in the hot summer air. There is no air conditioning onboard, but the temperature was certainly reasonable with several open windows. To be clear, it could have been 120° and I would not have cared.

Our route took us south above Poberezny Road and along the western edge of Camp Scholler, then along the south edge of the show grounds. As the flight turned east, it became apparent this would take us directly over the grounds adjacent to the flight line where the air show was still going on. I have seen a lot of Oshkosh air shows, but watching one from a blimp is simply unforgettable.

As I write this, I truly cannot describe what transpired. At one point, I reminded myself to stop taking photos and soak in the moment. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I wanted to treasure it. So I put my phone in my pocket, stood by the open window, and admired the view as we trundled along over the AirVenture grounds.

On one pass, I watched our shadow pass over EAA founders Paul and Audrey Poberezny’s home. Thank you Paul! This one was unforgettable.

And a very special thank you to the entire Goodyear team for taking us along in your magical airship. What an amazing experience!

For more information: Goodyear.com