POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – A new Goodyear blimp made its debut Thursday in Pompano Beach.
Local 10 News reporter MJ Acosta was on the tarmac of the Goodyear Airship Base to get an up-close look at Wingfoot One, the newest model, which arrived in South Florida last week.
Residents might have seen the blimp over Sun Life Stadium, Marlins Park and the American Airlines Arena, providing aerials for major sporting events.
Goodyear is in its 90th year of operating, and pilots say the airships have evolved significantly over the years.
"It is very similar to a balloon," pilot Derek Reed said of the older models. "There is not as much pressure as a balloon would have, but it is still just inflated with that helium and a little bit of air that's inside the airship. So that's what the older ships were like."
"This new airship is a little different. The new airship has a triangular structure, and that triangular structure is basically carbon fiber and aluminum, and that's what allows our airship to take off vertically, as well as keep our engines in the air."
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