Free Republic

An unidentified flying object in the skies of New Jersey Monday had residents believing aliens were about to beam down to the Garden State until it was actually identified — as a Goodyear Blimp. Twitter video of the “New Jersey UFO sighting” racked up more than 555,000 views. But naysayers were quick to debunk the extraterrestrial sighting — noting that it was nothing more than the Goodyear Blimp flying overhead near MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, where the New York Giants lost 26-16 to the Pittsburgh Steelers Monday night in the season opener.

Goodyear has let the helium out of the last of its fabled fleet of blimps, but the company's flight program will continue. About two dozen employees were on hand early Tuesday to witness the deflation of California-based Spirit of Innovation. But shed no tears, blimp fans, you'll still see a familiar blue-and-gold form floating over your favorite sports event or awards show. Although the blimp's replacement, Wingfoot Two, will look about the same when it arrives at Goodyear's airship base in Carson later this year, it will be a semi-rigid dirigible.

CARSON – The Goodyear Blimp bobbles a few feet of the ground, awaiting one of its final takeoffs. “We’re coming off the mast,” pilot Bill Bayliss announces, as the 192-foot blimp is freed from its mooring. The Spirit of America will rise above the hustle-and-bustle of I-405 one last time on Monday, and cruise toward Tustin’s aging World War II blimp hangar. Five days later, the blimp will emerge as five tons of museum exhibits, recyclable rubber and spare parts.

A Goodyear blimp crash-landed Thursday near Sample Road and Coral Ridge Drive in an industrial park and the two people aboard were trapped inside while electrical crews cleared the site, authorities said. The ``Stars & Stripes'' blimp may have gotten tangled in power lines when it went down near Pompano Beach Air Park, where it's based, said Coral Springs police spokesman Mike Moser. The two people on board weren't injured, said Kathleen Bergen, spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration. FAA investigators were on the scene. Authorities said bad weather might have forced the blimp down. There were thunderstorms in the...

Former Vice President Al Gore and Tipper Gore walk from the William J. Clinton Presidential Center to the podium during opening ceremonies in Little Rock, Ark., Thursday, Nov. 18, 2004. The $165 million glass-and-steel center will be the home to Clinton's library collection of more than 80 million presidential items. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Reporting on local news is that the Goodyear Blimp just crashed after it got away from the ground crew in a wind gust. Cameraman hurt but not life threatening and the pilot is ok.