Loral GZ-22

GZ-22
Role non-rigid airship
National origin United States
Manufacturer Loral
Designer Goodyear
First flight 1989
Primary user Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
Number built 1

The Loral GZ-22 (also known as the Goodyear GZ-22) was a non-rigid airship first flown in 1989 and operated by Goodyear as its signature promotional aircraft, registered N4A and named Spirit of Akron.[1]

Design and development

Originally built for the purpose of demonstrating the modern military capability of airships to the US Navy, the GZ-22 was originally designed by Goodyear but built by Loral after Goodyear withdrew from airship manufacturing.[1] The GZ-22 had a steel framed and composite skinned gondola with a neoprene-impregnated polyester 2-ply envelope filled with helium.[1] The GZ-22 Type Certificate was issued on 31 August 1989.[2]

On 28 October 1999 the Spirit of Akron crashed at Suffield Township, Ohio, when it suddenly entered an uncontrolled left turn and began descending. The pilot and technician on board received only minor injuries when the airship hit trees. The NTSB report 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". [3]

Specifications

Data from [1]

General characteristics

Performance

References

Notes
  1. ^ a b c d Taylor 1996, p. 548
  2. ^ "Type Certificate Data Sheet No.AS1GL Lockheed Martin (Loral) GZ-22". Federal Aviation Authority. 1 October 1997. http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgMakeModel.nsf/0/fe073c7b78edaaad8525672100435d97/$FILE/As1gl.PDF. Retrieved 2009-07-27. 
  3. ^ "Aircraft: Loral Corp. GZ-22, registration: N4A". National Transportation Safety Board. 17 May 2001. http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001212X19973&key=1. Retrieved 2009-07-27. 
Bibliography
  • Taylor, Michael J. H. (1996). Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory. London, England: Brassey's. ISBN 1 85733 1981 1. 
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GZ-19 • GZ-20 • GZ-22

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  • Annual revenue  $16.3 billion USD (2009)
  • Employees 69,000 (2010)
  • Stock symbol NYSE: GT
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