As Goodyear celebrates the 100th anniversary of the first blimp flight, residents lucky enough to live around Akron, Ohio, got a rare treat on June 3, 2025: Three blimps flying across the city, painted in a black and silver color scheme as a throwback to the company’s first blimps.
The local newspaper, the Akron Beacon Journal, took that opportunity to interview Jerry Hissem, 55, chief pilot for Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and captain of Wingfoot One, the airship based at Wingfoot Lake near Akron.
Hissem grew up watching the blimps fly overhead but never thought he’d be the one at the controls. As he tells his story to the local reporter, he notes that being a blimp pilot is “an elite club.”
There are fewer blimp pilots in the world than astronauts, the story notes. Goodyear has 10 full-time pilots.
Becoming a blimp pilot requires a commercial pilot certificate followed by about 250 hours of training to earn an additional rating.
Find out more in the Beacon’s story here.
And if you are going to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025, which be held July 21-27 at Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH) in Oshkosh, you’ll get the chance to see two blimps flying above the grounds as part of the 100th anniversary celebrations.
