Loral GZ-22
{{Short description|US airship}}
| {{Infobox Aircraft Begin
|name=GZ-22 Spirit of Akron |image=File:Burns 0061 SC10260 Burns Collection Image - back of the mast (photo by E Brothers) 11-07-1987 (53820854782).jpg |caption=The Spirit of Akron in Canton Ohio, on August 9, 1999. }}{{Infobox Aircraft Type |type=non-rigid airship |national origin=United States |manufacturer=Loral Corporation |designer=Goodyear |first flight=1989 |last flight=1999 |introduced= |retired= |status= |primary user=Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company |more users= |produced= |number built=1 |variants with their own articles= }} |
The Loral GZ-22 (also known as the Goodyear GZ-22) was a class of non-rigid airship, or blimp first flown in 1989 and operated by Goodyear as its flagship promotional aircraft, with civil registration N4A and christened Spirit of Akron. This was the only airship of this class ever built.
Design and development
Goodyear originally designed the GZ-22 to demonstrate the possible renewed use of airships to the United States Navy, which had ended their airship operations in 1962. The GZ-22 was designed by Goodyear, but built by Loral after Goodyear sold its aerospace division to Loral in 1987. The GZ-22 had a steel-framed, composite-skinned gondola under a neoprene-impregnated polyester 2-ply envelope, inflated with helium. At its launch in 1987, the 205-foot 6-inch long Spirit of Akron was the longest airship in service at that time.{{cite journal|journal=Air Progress|date=December 1987|title=Blimp Arbourne}} The GZ-22 Type Certificate was issued on 31 August 1989.{{cite web | title=Type Certificate Data Sheet No.AS1GL Lockheed Martin (Loral) GZ-22 | url=http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgMakeModel.nsf/0/fe073c7b78edaaad8525672100435d97/$FILE/As1gl.PDF | publisher=Federal Aviation Authority | date= 1 October 1997| access-date=2009-07-27}}
On 28 October 1999, the Spirit of Akron suddenly entered an uncontrolled left turn and began descending over Suffield Township, Ohio, crashing into trees and sustaining severe damage. The pilot and technician on board received minor injuries. The NTSB report on the crash identified improperly hardened metal splines on the control actuators had sheared, causing loss of control and identified the probable cause as being failure by the "flight control system manufacturer to meet design (hardness) specifications".{{cite web | title=Aircraft: Loral Corp. GZ-22, registration: N4A | url=https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001212X19973&key=1 | publisher=National Transportation Safety Board | date=17 May 2001 | access-date=2009-07-27}}
The gondola of the Spirit of Akron is on display at the MAPS Air Museum.{{cite web |last1=Elliott |first1=Dave |title=LORAL GZ-22 "SPIRIT OF AKRON" |url=http://mapsairmuseum.org/gallery-item/goodyear-blimp-spirit-of-akron |website=MAPS Air Museum |access-date=9 December 2018 |date=10 January 2018}}
Specifications
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Taylor 1996, p. 548
|prime units? = imp
|crew=1
|capacity=10 passengers
|length m=62.64
|length ft=205
|length in=6
|width m=14.33
|width ft=47
|width in=0
|height m=18.34
|height ft=60
|height in=2
|volume m3=7,017
|volume ft3=247,800
|gross weight kg=6804
|gross weight lb=15,000
|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=Allison 250-B17C turboprops
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=420
|max speed kmh=105
|max speed mph=65
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=10,000
}}
{{aircontent
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References
{{Commons category|Goodyear GZ-22}}
=Notes=
{{reflist}}
=Bibliography=
- {{cite book|last= Taylor|first= Michael J. H.|title= Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory|year= 1996|publisher= Brassey's|location= London, England|isbn= 1-85753-198-1|url-access= registration|url= https://archive.org/details/brasseysworldair0000unse}}
{{Goodyear aircraft}}
Category:1980s United States special-purpose aircraft
Category:Airships of the United States