AKRON, Ohio, May 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Goodyear Tire
& Rubber Company's (NASDAQ: GT) world-famous blimp,
Wingfoot One, is coming to the Tampa Bay AirFest, which will take
place this weekend at MacDill Airforce Base.
Joining Wingfoot One for the May
12-13 event will be aerobatic champion Michael Goulian, who will dazzle attendees with
breathtaking displays of precision airmanship.
Launched in 2014, Wingfoot One is the first of a new generation
of Goodyear blimps, which includes sister vessel, Wingfoot Two, and
a third blimp coming this summer.
Since it first took flight, Wingfoot One has provided aerial
coverage of numerous marquee events, including the NBA Finals, the
Daytona 500, the PGA Championship and the College Football Playoff
National Championship.
"Goodyear has supplied tires to the aviation industry for more
than a century," said Glenn
Leonardi, general manager, aviation, Americas, who noted
that Goodyear has operated its own fleet of airships for nearly 100
years. "We are excited to bring Wingfoot One and Michael Goulian to this year's Tampa Bay
AirFest."
Michael Goulian, whose plane has
flown the Goodyear logo since 2012, is a past United States
National Aerobatic Champion, and recently won the Red Bull Air Race
World Championship in Abu Dhabi.
He also holds three of the airshow world's top honors: the ICAS
Sword of Excellence, the Art Scholl
Memorial Showmanship Award and the Bill
Barber Award for Showmanship.
Goulian will fly his Extra 330SC aircraft alongside Wingfoot One
at 2:30 p.m. each day, during the
transition between their airshow performances.
"Michael is one of the world's premier aerobatic competitors and
an extraordinary ambassador for the Goodyear brand," said Leonardi.
"We are honored and proud to fly with him."
In addition, on May 12 at
12:30 p.m., Goulian and Wingfoot One
pilots will sign autographs outside Goulian's Tampa Bay AirFest
trailer, which will feature Goodyear flags on top of it.
"The Tampa Bay AirFest is one of the aviation industry's premier
shows," said Leonardi. "Wingfoot One is a symbol of airship
innovation and technology, and Michael
Goulian has reached the top level of aerobatics. This is a
winning combination that we believe all Tampa Bay AirFest attendees
will enjoy."
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About The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
Goodyear
is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about
64,000 people and manufactures its products in 48 facilities in 22
countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in
Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg,
Luxembourg, strive to develop
state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and
performance standard for the industry.
Goodyear also is a leading supplier of aviation tires for
commercial, military and general aviation aircraft. Operating a
global business from its Akron,
Ohio, headquarters, Goodyear manufactures new aviation tires
in the United States and
Thailand. For more information
about Goodyear aviation tires, retreading and services, visit
www.goodyearaviation.com.
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SOURCE The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company