Passenger Guide

You are about to join a very elite club of aerial travelers. In order to ensure that your experience aboard the Goodyear Blimp is safe and enjoyable, we ask that you adhere to the following guidelines. Failure to do so could result in injury to you, your fellow passengers and/or the flight crew. We appreciate your cooperation and bon voyage!

Flight Registration and Confirmation

  • Rides aboard the Goodyear Blimp are by invitation only.
  • All passengers who have received invitations to fly on the Goodyear Blimp must call and register with the airship base and be placed on the confirmed reservation list (in advance) in order to be cleared to fly.
  • All passenger groups must call the Goodyear airbase the day of their departure to confirm their flight (weather can cause a cancellation)
  • If your flight is cancelled due to weather, it will be reset for a later date based on the airship's schedule.
  • Passengers must arrange for their own transportation to and from one of Goodyear's airship bases for the scheduled flight.
  • Passengers must schedule their flight prior to the expiration date stated on the Blimp flight certificate.

Clothing

  • Wear comfortable clothing.
  • We strongly suggest footwear with good support and traction (e.g. tennis/running shoes). High heeled shoes and flip flops are prohibited!
  • Dress for the prevailing temperature and weather conditions. The gondola is not pressurized and you will be embarking and disembarking outside in the open air.

Children

  • While children under four years of age are discouraged from flying on the Goodyear Blimp, exceptions can be made. This must be done prior to the date of the flight through the PR manager for the airship and with the pilot's approval.
  • All children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

Proper Identification

  • All passengers 18 years of age or older must present a proper photo I.D. prior to boarding the airship.
Boarding and Exiting the Airship

  • All passengers must listen, understand and follow the boarding and disembarking instructions of their assigned guide.
  • There is a ladder attached to the bottom of the gondola which passengers must be able to ascend and descend in order to enter and exit the airship. Only one person at a time is permitted on the ladder. Goodyear reserves the right to refuse entry on our new-style airship (NT) to any guest exceeding the manufacturer’s ladder weight limit of 330 pounds. All guests' weight will be verified for compliance with this requirement prior to flight.
  • While on the ground the airship is subject to the prevailing winds and can therefore be quite mobile. This requires that all passengers be alert and follow the instructions (particularly during boarding and disembarking) in order to avoid any injury to themselves, the Goodyear crew, or the airship itself.

Passenger Mobility Requirements

  • All airship passengers must be fully ambulatory and without physical impairment(s) that could prevent them from moving quickly at the direction of the pilot or ground crew.

Load Capacity

  • The Goodyear Blimp has a varying lift capacity (depending on weather conditions). Therefore the pilot may need to reconfigure passenger groups in order to ensure a safe weight for both launching and landing.
  • Every effort is made to pre-schedule the appropriate number of people for each flight, however, the number of passengers (regardless of size and/or weight) is always at the determination of the Pilot-in-Charge.

Alcohol and Prescription Drugs

  • It is strongly recommended that passengers refrain from using alcohol, or prescription drugs that might interfere with their motor skills or concentration in advance of taking a blimp ride.

Cell Phones & Electronic Devices

  • Please place cell phones and electronic devices into Airplane Mode before boarding the airship. Using these devices for photo taking only is permitted.

Waiver

  • All passengers must sign a "Release and Waiver of Liability and Indemnity Agreement" prior to boarding the airship.

Goodyear reserves the right to deny flight status to anyone who is unable or unwilling to comply with these guidelines.

If you have successfully arranged for a blimp ride, it is important that you read and follow the above guidelines and those in the attachments below.

Blimp Ride Certificate Requests

Thank you for your interest in submitting a request for a ride certificate on the Goodyear Blimp from The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Each year, the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company receives hundreds of requests for ride certificates for our world-famous Goodyear blimps. The opportunities for charitable ride certificates are very limited because the blimps are often flying to deliver value for Goodyear.

If you have interest in submitting a request, please begin your process here.

Additional information on blimp ride certificates:

Requests for blimp ride certificates from non-profit charitable organizations will be considered if Goodyear determines that the organization's mission and reputation is consistent with its own, and the charitable organization:

  1. Holds current Internal Revenue 501c3 designation documentation or similar;
  2. Is willing to provide Goodyear with adequate promotional placement within its materials;
  3. Provides the required information through this request form.

All blimp ride certificate requests must be submitted through our online application system. Blimp ride certificate requests should be submitted 4-6 months prior to your event date. The committee will review the request. The review process may take up to 4 months for final decision, pending the other blimp commitments at the time of your submission.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is the final decision maker on requests for blimp ride certificates. Decisions for blimp ride certificates are final and are at the sole discretion of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

If certificate request is approved, all passengers must comply with Goodyear's passenger guidelines and passenger waiver before riding on the blimp.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and the blimp ride certificates program does not generally support:

  • Individuals or family reunions
  • U. S. based organizations that do not have tax-exempt status under Section 501(c) 3 of the U. S. Internal Revenue Service Code, or the equivalent
  • Organizations formed outside of the U.S. that do not have a charitable equivalency status under the laws and provisions of their respective government
  • Organizations that discriminate based on race, color, sex, gender identity, and/or expression, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age or disability
  • Donations of promotional merchandise
  • Political, legislative, or lobbying organizations
  • Religious endeavors or organizations
  • Concerts, beauty contests, fashion shows or other entertainment events
  • Fraternal organizations and related events
  • Local sports or athletic teams
  • Service clubs or organizations
  • Travel or organized field trips
  • Marketing sponsorships, cause marketing or advertising projects

Blimp Facts: Riding the Goodyear Blimp
Rides on the Goodyear Blimps are available only at the invitation of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Due to the limited number of seats available, most riders are Goodyear customers through our dealer relationships, winners of local charity auctions, local dignitaries or members of the media.