Goodyear blimp Spirit of America dismantled

People wave and take photos of the Carson-based blimp as it makes its final approach for landing in Tustin.

A crew member attaches ballast weights beneath the gondola of the Spirit of America as it makes its final landing outside a blimp hangar in Tustin.

Chief mechanic Steve Dien, left, and lead technician Tim Hopkins tie the Spirit of America to the floor of a blimp hangar. After 13 years of flying over football and baseball games and parades, the blimp was dismantled and deflated.

Workers are dwarfed by the huge “wingfoot” logo on the side of the Goodyear blimp where they are removing hundreds of computer-controlled LED lights. Once all hard pieces of the craft are taken off, the retired balloon is deflated.

One of the first parts to be removed from the Spirit of America is the blimp’s rudder.

Now deflated, the rubberized poyester fabric that formed the bottom of the balloon is inspected by chief airship mechanic Steve Dien. The silver part side was the outside.

The logo from the side of the blimp sits next to its gondola, which first went into service in 1979 and will be donated to the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino. In the background, remnants of the balloon are cut up.

Airship rigger Tony Sanico stands on one of the tail elevators. The 30-year Goodyear veteran who helped build the blimp in 2002 said, “It’s a sad day. She was our mother, she took care of our family. We’re kind of orphaned now.”

The deflated nose of the Goodyear blimp that had been based in Carson is hauled across a hangar in Tustin.

Upon landing the Spirit of America on it’s final flight, pilot Matthew St. John shows a snapshot of himself as a youngster in Florida, with a blimp in the background. Using archival records, he determined the gondola on the blimp in the picture is the same one he is sitting in.

Crew members help the Spirit of America blimp take off from its home base in Carson several days before its last flight.

Pilot William Bayliss prepares to board the Spirit of America blimp in Carson.

Pilot William Bayliss guides the Spirit of America blimp as it takes off from its base in Carson.

The Spirit of America blimp flies over The Links at Victoria golf course in Carson.

The Spirit of America flies over Long Beach.

Crew members pull in the Spirit of America blimp at it lands in Carson days before its decommissioning.

Crew members steady the Goodyear blimp Spirit of America as it makes its final landing in Tustin on Aug. 10. It’s being replaced by more advanced blimps.