Goodyear Blimp makes rare appearance in B.C.

Canadian helium heads rejoice.

It’s been nine years since a Goodyear Blimp has floated across the border to Canada, and 13 since one has soared over B.C. This week, the famous airship has finally returned.

With each flight departing July 5-10 from the Abbotsford airport, the Spirit of Innovation has been reminding British Columbians it might be time to change their tires while thrilling the lucky dozen who won rides in a contest.

Spokeswoman Priscilla Tasker said the airship’s return to B.C. was a chance to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company’s longtime customer Fountain Tires and a way to reconnect with Canadian customers, too.

The Spirit of Innovation is the last of Goodyear’s GZ-20 series airships, set to be retired next year as the firm works to replace the entire fleet by 2018. It was christened in 2006, but GZ-20s have been flying since 1972. They’re 58-metres long and weigh up to 5,824 kilograms without helium. It’s one of three airships operated out of California, Ohio and Florida.

To thrust the airship 457 m above Abbotsford, a pair of 210-horsepower engines roared at 110 decibels — nearly as loud as a Led Zeppelin concert.

The airship’s cargo-van-sized gondola, with seven seats, including the pilot’s, doesn’t have seatbelts, which is stressful as it launches at a 20-degree angle. But it doesn’t take long before it starts to gently bob along at 35 knots.

Taylor Laverty, who piloted the Spirit of Innovation several times Wednesday, has been flying Goodyear Blimps for five years.

She started out with airplanes and worked with a charter company before coming across a job posting for a Goodyear Blimp pilot. Following about 200 hours of training, she became part of the crew, though it took a bit of getting used to switching from airplane to airship.

“We have buoyancy, so we have the helium, and that changes kind of the characteristics of flight,” Laverty said. “We’re also really weather-sensitive. High winds are really challenging for us, as well as no wind … so we like a steady five to 15 knots, if we can get it.”

The most challenging part of the transition was landing, Laverty said. She’d grown used to landing on a wide-open runway, but suddenly found herself steering an airship toward a crowd of people. 

Indeed, as the blimp rapidly descended, it was a strange site to watch a dozen groundcrew members — including riggers, mechanics, technicians and fellow pilots — sprint toward the ship’s nose.

But the crew took pride in its work, and all those who disembarked the airship were grinning. It’s little wonder why the Goodyear Blimp has earned a loyal following of “helium heads” — a legion of fans obsessed with the airship, Laverty explained.

That excitement about the Goodyear Blimp brings her great satisfaction.

“You work in any other airline job, or job in the pilot industry, you may not run into people that are happy all the time, but here we get to, every day,” she said. “Bucket-list job. Yeah.”

neagland@postmedia.com

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