Episode 104 - What it Takes to Fly The Blimp: with Goodyear Chief Pilot Jerry Hissem

<p>For more than a century, the <strong>Goodyear Blimp</strong> has been one of the most recognizable aircraft in the world—quietly floating over sporting events, cities, and historic moments in aviation history. But what’s it <em>really</em> like to fly an airship?</p><p>In this episode, we sit down with <strong>Jerry Hissem, Chief Pilot for the Goodyear Blimp</strong>, for a deep dive into the world of modern airships as Goodyear celebrates <strong>100 years of blimp operations</strong>. Jerry shares what makes flying a blimp unlike any other form of aviation, how today’s airships differ from the classics of the past, and what it actually takes to earn your <strong>Goodyear Blimp pilot wings</strong>.</p><p>We explore:</p><ul><li><p>The <strong>history of the Goodyear Blimp</strong> and how it evolved over the last 100 years</p></li><li><p>What it’s really like to <strong>fly an airship</strong>—from handling and performance to day-to-day operations</p></li><li><p>The <strong>unique training and experience</strong> required to become a Goodyear Blimp pilot</p></li><li><p>How modern Goodyear airships blend <strong>heritage with advanced technology</strong></p></li><li><p>Why blimps continue to play a unique role in aviation today</p></li></ul><p>Whether you’re an aviation history fan, a pilot curious about unconventional aircraft, or just fascinated by one of aviation’s most iconic symbols, this episode offers rare insight from someone who flies the blimp for a living.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Get Your Cold Weather Merch Today!</strong></p><p>Winter is coming, and so is our brand-new merch lineup! Stay warm and rep your love for aviation with cozy long sleeve tees, hoodies, and beanies. Gear up now and head into the season in style!</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Our Other Content:</strong></p><p>Badger Pilot on Youtube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@thebadgerpilot">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thebadgerpilot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>AeroExploration: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AeroExploration">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@AeroExploration⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>AeroExploration Podcast:<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fly-the-transition/id1657873290">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><strong></strong></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/65meVcZcfPDxZJ4qmwRWOB?si=72ff543240214550 ">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/65meVcZcfPDxZJ4qmwRWOB?si=72ff543240214550 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Subscribe and Follow:</strong></p><p>Don’t miss an episode—subscribe to the Flying Midwest Podcast on your favorite platform and follow us on social media for the latest aviation news and podcast updates.</p><p> • <a href="https://flyingmidwest.com/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://flyingmidwest.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> </p><p>• <a href="https://facebook.com/flyingmidwest">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/flyingmidwest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><br></p><p>Your support helps us keep bringing you high-quality aviation content! </p><p>• Grab some chart-inspired apparel: Check out the new Midwest.Three design and Badger Gear at our merchstore. </p><p><a href="flyingmidwest.com/merch">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠flyingmidwest.com/merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> </p><p>• Join our Patreon community for exclusive content, behind-the-scenes access, and links to LIVE episode recordings<a href="https://patreon.com/Flyingmidwestpodcast?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><a href="https://patreon.com/Flyingmidwestpodcast?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/Flyingmidwestpodcast?utm_medium=unknown&amp;utm_source=join_link&amp;utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&amp;utm_conte