The Goodyear blimp ranks high on the list with picnics, apple pie and baseball for all things Americana so fans may be a bit concerned at the news that the giant balloon often seen floating overhead at sports events is retiring.

The Pilgrim, the first in the fleet of Goodyear blimps, was launched in 1925 and in 1928 Goodyear began naming its blimps after the U.S winners of the America's Cup yacht race due to the CEO's opinion that they appeared like yachts in the sky.

Goodyear plans on replacing the current airships, which go flat once helium is removed,  with a fixed structure to hold the gas-filled balloon in place. The cockpits will also include state-of-the-art avionics.

The overhaul comes 90 years after Goodyear first took to the skies.

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