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Goodyear Blimp To Visit The NRV Today And Tuesday

David Grimes

It’s not often that you drive around the New River Valley and look up in the sky and see a blimp. However, all of that changed Sunday evening, as the “Spirit of Goodyear” arrived at the New River Valley Airport in Dublin, to help Thompson Tire Company celebrate its 40th anniversary of doing business in the NRV.

As the blimp arrived in Dublin, a large crowd gathered not only at the NRV Airport, but they also lined the side of Route 100, to get a closer look and snap pictures of the 192-foot airship.

The “Spirit of Goodyear,” which is one of the four blimps operated by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, will be tethered at NRV Airport today and Tuesday to help Thompson Tire Company celebrate its 40th anniversary.

“Having the blimp here is just a small way to give something back to the communities who have supported us for the past 40 years,” said Fran Boyd, president of Thompson Tire.

Boyd said Sunday evening that around 3,000 students from various schools across the New River Valley will get a chance to see the blimp up close during its two-day stay.

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“These students will get a chance to walk out onto the runway, stand under the blimp and even take a peak inside of it,” added Boyd. “These students will be talking about this rare experience forever. I know mine have.”

The public can come to the airport anytime between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday or Tuesday to see the blimp from a viewing area that has been set up.

In addition to the students, various local non-profit groups, such as “Make A Wish” Foundation and St. Jude’s have also been invited.

Special flights (by invitation only) will take place from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

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The “Spirit of Goodyear”, which based in Akron, Ohio, will also be making solo flights throughout the New River Valley between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. and will be using its EagleVision sign to send messages to the communities they are flying over. Some of the communities the blimp will fly over include Pulaski, Radford, Blacksburg and Christiansburg, as well as a few more.

“It was awesome,” said Danny Talbott. “I saw it flying in Fairlawn and I followed it here to the airport. I took more than 40 pictures of it to show tmy wife and friends when I get back home. I know they won’t believe me, but I got pictures to prove it.”

Thompson Tire Company, which started in Christiansburg in 1968, now has locations in Radford, Pulaski, Rocky Mount and Wytheville.

Photos by David Grimes

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