photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Don Boyd | all galleries >> People, Family and Friends Photo Galleries >> Don Boyd or Don with Friends - 1970's, 80's and 90's > 1976 - Don Boyd riding up front on the Goodyear GZ-19 N1A "Mayflower" with Chief Pilot Joe Hajack about to take off
previous | next
APR-1976 Jerry Griffis

1976 - Don Boyd riding up front on the Goodyear GZ-19 N1A "Mayflower" with Chief Pilot Joe Hajack about to take off

Goodyear Blimp Base, Watson Island, Miami, FL view map


As part of the terms of their land leased from the City of Miami on Watson Island, Goodyear was required to offer public rides during the day. I used to get gift certificates to ride on the blimp for Christmas in the late 50's/early 60's and I went up numerous times in my youth. This above photo was my last blimp flight because Goodyear built the larger GZ-20 model to replace the GZ-19 model and they could not operate safely from the land-limited Watson Island. Goodyear proposed building a hangar and airfield on Virginia Key but that was shot down by the City of Miami politicians at the time so Goodyear moved their airship operations to Opa-locka Airport for a number of years and then to a permanent new home and hangar at Pompano Air Park in Pompano Beach where they have successfully operated ever since.


other sizes: small medium original auto
comment | share
Don Boyd24-Feb-2009 16:18
Thanks for remembering his name for me. I have it written down somewhere, probably on the ticket, but couldn't find it. Don
George 24-Feb-2009 15:29
I just noticed, you got to ride with chief pilot Joe Hajack
Don Boyd13-Apr-2007 00:31
Thank you for your comments, George. It's a shame that Dade County and the City of Miami couldn't have accommodated Goodyear to keep the blimp here after so many years of delightful operations but it's typical of both governments. Thanks for the information you provided.

Goodyear now operates 3 blimps in the USA and they're all named "Spirit of ____", with the "Spirit of Innovation" based at Pompano Beach. More information on their blimps is at <http://www.goodyearblimp.com/fleet/ Don
George 12-Apr-2007 17:31
Hi Don

The photos of the Goodyear blimp Mayflower brings back memories. This blimp was responsible for starting my enthusiasm for airships. As a kid, I used to convince my family to take me down to Watson to see it. The day they announced Goodyear was moving its airship operations to Pompano was a pretty bad day for me, only 9 years old at the time.

By the way here's the time line as I recalled when they actually moved to Opa-Locka and then Pompano:
The N1A was replaced by the Mayflower N38A in 1978. Then the N38A crashes somewhere in the US, not in Florida. Then in late '78 or '79 Goodyear announces that it will replace the little GZ-19 blimp to it's larger GZ-20 blimp. Virginia Beach was considered for the new base, but the environmentalist wackos protested and that possible move was shot down. So in '79 they move to Opa-Locka with the Mayflower N3A. But unfortunatley N3A crashes! So in 1980, they retire the Mayflower name and build the Enterprise N1A and say that it will be based in Pompano Air Park. So there you have it.

I did get to fly in the Stars & Stripes N3A, twice, back in '97.