It’s the beginning of a new era for Goodyear with the first steps of construction taking place on their new high tech airships.

A longer, sleeker look makes a subtle change to the still recognizable blimp.

(Aerial footage courtesy of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.)

Construction will happen over the next six years at Goodyear’s Wingfoot Lake Hangar with the help of the German Zeppelin Corporation.

Goodyear is replacing all three of its current blimps with the new fleet. Some of the major differences between the old and the new airships include: 

• an increase of a maximum speed to 73 mph from 54 mph.
• the addition of an engine on each airship bringing the total to three per blimp. 
• the addition of internal framework
• an added length of about 50 feet

The familiar buzzing sound you usually hear when the Goodyear blimp is above you will also be a little quieter.

Construction of the new airship will take about 6-7 months, including the structural build and the installation of advanced on-board avionics and flight control systems