A flight on the Goodyear Blimp offers languid elegance

    1 of 8 2 of 8

      When travelling by blimp, the first word that comes to mind is smooth.

      This is certainly no thundering and shuddering 747, or DC-10, or L-1011 hurling itself into the stratosphere by brute force. Indeed, when the helium-filled Goodyear blimp Spirit of Innovation slips the surly bonds of earth, it’s a peaceful, almost serene experience

      Although... our initial ascent is a little unnerving. We lift off from Abbotsford International Airport at a quick 25-degree climb up to 500 metres, and if one happens to be sitting in the co-pilot’s seat next to a large wide-open window, well, let’s just say that it doesn’t seem like there’s a whole lot between you and terra firma so far below.

      Those years of college finally paid off for Georgia Straight Goodyear Blimp desk editor Doug Sarti
      Doug Sarti

      But once cruising altitude is reached, any concerns quickly dissipate and it becomes clear why airship travel was once so prized. As a passenger, it’s much more akin to being in a boat than an airplane, with a mild swaying as breezes and thermals gently buffet the craft. And while it can be loud in the cabin—there’s a 210-horsepower piston engine on either side of the gondola, after all—the sound of the props settle into a happy drone which adds to the languid and unhurried feel of blimp flight.

      In the capable hands of our pilot, Taylor Laverty, a five-year Goodyear veteran, we travel northwest into the Fraser Valley, floating over farms, housing developments, industry, and the Trans-Canada Highway. The blimp’s cabin is small—it only seats six, plus Laverty at the controls—but with large picture windows a breathtaking vista unfolds before us.

      Blimp pilot Taylor Laverty
      Doug Sarti

      When enough nerve is finally built up to look down out of the open window, one is surprised to see our own cigar-shaped shadow following along, far below.

      “We call that the land shark,” Laverty says cheerfully while working the ship’s many manual controls.

      When asked how one becomes a blimp pilot, she laughs.

      “You have to be lucky,” says the Oregon native. “Within Goodyear, we only have between twelve and fifteen pilots at any time. It’s a limited market and people don’t leave very often.”

      “Usually you start out in airplanes or helicopters,” Laverty continues, “get your license that way, then get hired on with a company that will train you in airships. I was a flight instructor for several years and had my commercial rating when I interviewed at Goodyear. The more I found out about it, the more I wanted the job.”

      Coming in for a landing
      Doug Sarti

      With Spirit of Innovation in the Vancouver area from July 5-8, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Fountain Tire, Laverty has booked a lot of flying time lately, especially on the long trip up from the blimp’s home base in Carson, CA.

      Clearly, flying is something she loves, especially in a GZ-20 model blimp like Spirit of Innovation, which is the last of its kind and will be retired next year.

      “I’ve been fortunate to be part of the GZ-20s for so long already, and I definitely have a soft spot for them, but time moves forward and you have to move along with it.”

      After nearly 50 years of the model, Goodyear is in the process of switching its fleet over to brand-new high-tech Zeppelin NT airships.

      “The GZ-20s are labour-intensive, you really have to put a lot of physical effort into flying,” Laverty explains, and, sitting next to her, it’s easy to see that she gets a real workout flying Spirit of Innovation. “The new Zeppelin NTs are a lot more like an airplane. It’s a night-and-day difference.”

      After about 45 minutes of touring above the Fraser Valley, Laverty skillfully brings us back to the Abbotsford airport. As with ascent, the descent is steep, also at about 25 degrees. Just as the ground seems to rush up at us, she pulls the blimp’s nose up and brings us in for a perfect landing. The 13-member ground crew rushes in to grab the airship’s bow lines and pulls us up to the mooring mast, and Laverty cuts the engines.

      The ground crew prepares for landing
      Doug Sarti

      Looking around the cabin, it suddenly becomes obvious that every single passenger is grinning from ear-to-ear. What’s more, no one seems to be in any rush to disembark, eager to soak in every last minute of the experience.

      Without a doubt, there’s an undeniable charm—and joy—to blimp travel.

      As the venerable Obi-Wan Kenobi might say, it’s a more elegant mode of travel for a more civilized age.

      Comments