The Blimp Boom

Goodyear, the first name in airships has gotten some serious competition. The blimp business is sky-high, with about a dozen corporate dirigibles flying in the United States, the cute MetLife Snoopy model among them. In all, Goodyear has built more than 300 airships, starting in 1925. Today, it’s not unusual for four blimps to appear at a major sporting event. But because the tire and rubber giant is so connected with airships in the public’s mind, it has also benefited from the presence of more blimps. “People see a blimp, and they think it’s a Goodyear,” spokesman Mickey Whittman said.