Goodyear’s Blimp Build

Watch the new Goodyear blimp being built

A new Goodyear blimp is being built inside the Wingfoot Lake hangar in Suffield, Ohio.

Longerons and cross sections are made of aluminum and composite materials. These are the pieces that make up the frame. Ballonets are inflatable airbags within the structure that maintain pressure and affect trim in the Goodyear NT blimp. Those “X” shaped bars that look like propellers are actually structural pieces that will support the three tail fins.  The envelope is made of polyester with a DuPont Tedlar film on the outside and a polyurethane coat on the inside. Tedlar is a polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) film that protects surfaces from harsh weather, UV rays, chemicals, and solvents. Once completed, the Goodyear NT will have three vectored engines, one on the tail and one on each side of the frame, midway up and well above the car to reduce noise in the cabin.