Goodyear Celebrates 100 Years of Aviation Heritage with Donation and Keepsake Initiative.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has donated its last remaining GZ20-era blimp gondola frame to the EAA Museum, marking the 100th anniversary of the Goodyear Blimp. The company also offers fans a limited-edition keepsake item, with proceeds supporting the museum's children's exhibit. The donation aims to inspire future generations of aviation enthusiasts and enhance Goodyear's brand image.

On the opening day of the 2025 Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture Oshkosh show, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NASDAQ: GT) announced the donation of its last-remaining blimp gondola frame to the EAA Museum. This donation is part of a new children's exhibit celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Goodyear Blimp [1].

The gondola frame, from Goodyear's GZ20 model era of blimps that spanned nearly 40 years, has been refurbished multiple times. It was previously used on the Europa, which flew throughout Europe in the 1980s, and on the Florida-based Stars and Stripes in the early 2000s. The tradition of refurbishing gondolas ended in 2011 when Goodyear transitioned to the New Technology (NT) semi-rigid airship platform [1].

As part of the 100th anniversary celebration, the donation aims to preserve the history of Goodyear's airships program and inspire future generations of aviation enthusiasts. Michael Dougherty, Goodyear's Chief Pilot, stated, "There's no better way to honor our blimp program's legacy than by inspiring the next generation of aviation enthusiasts" [1].

The donation also includes a limited-edition keepsake item, the Spirit of Goodyear. This item features a genuine piece of the blimp's envelope that flew with the Spirit of Goodyear across North America from 2000 to 2014. The proceeds from the sale of these keepsakes will support the EAA Museum's children's exhibit [1].

Goodyear's presence at the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh this year includes a booth (#489) where the latest aviation tires and technology will be on display. Additionally, two blimps, Wingfoot One and Wingfoot Two, will participate in daytime and nighttime airshows, respectively [1].

References:
[1] https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/goodyear-to-donate-last-remaining-gz20-era-blimp-gondola-to-the-eaa-museum-for-a-childrens-exhibit-302509562.html