Look up! The Goodyear Blimp is flying around Sioux Falls

Stu Whitney | Argus Leader

The Goodyear Blimp is flying in Sioux Falls today, making its first appearance since 2003. The blimp arrived in Sioux Falls on Tuesday afternoon.

The appearance will be hosted by Graham Tire, which has been a Goodyear dealer for 67 years. The blimp will be docked at Sioux Falls Regional Airport after making a recent visit to Omaha, Neb.

"It's something we don't get very often," said David Mickelson, CEO and president of Graham Tire. "This is definitely a special occasion."

Goodyear Blimp in Sioux Falls: Watch it take off The Goodyear Blimp took off from the Sioux Falls airport on June 27. The blimp had about a dozen trips planned around the c ity.

The blimp will be taking up select groups of passengers Wednesday – including Argus Leader columnist Stu Whitney – so don't be surprised to see it hovering above your neighborhood.

In the meantime, here are a few facts you should know about the Goodyear Blimp:

– Since its introduction in 1925, the Goodyear Blimp has become an iconic American symbol, most commonly seen hovering over major events such as the Super Bowl, Olympics and Tournament of Roses Parade.

– There are actually three blimps currently in operation – Wingfoot One, Wingfoot Two and Wingfoot Three – and none of them are technically blimps. Ever since the Spirit of Innovation was retired last year, Goodyear has used “semi-rigid models” with a rigid internal frame rather than a shape attributable to air and helium gas.

– The last time the Goodyear Blimp came to Sioux Falls was in 2003, when the Stars & Stripes airship arrived for three days as part of Graham Tire's 50th anniversary celebration.

– The Goodyear Blimp measures 246.4 feet long and is 57.57 feet high and 64.79 feet wide. The crew size is 23 (5 pilots, 17 supporting members, 1 PR representative) and it seats 14 passengers. The maximum speed is 73 mph.