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MetLife Inflates Blimp Fleet

by Staff Writer

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The Snoopy blimp will be even more ubiquitous than usual at sporting events over the next 3 months.

MetLife Inc., New York, has announced the debut of “Snoopy Three,” the newest blimp in its 20-year-old blimp program. Snoopy Three will augment the company’s 2-blimp air force from August through October to help celebrate its blimp program’s 2 decades.

Snoopy Three, like Snoopy One and Snoopy Two, primarily will provide aerial television coverage of NFL games and special sporting events across the U.S.

All told, MetLife blimps cover around 60 events a year for a variety of networks, including shots of events ranging from the U.S. Open and PGA Championship to the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes horse races, along with professional football games. The blimps also support MetLife functions for clients and employees.

Snoopy Three is by far the biggest of the 3 aircraft. It’s an A-150+ model blimp, 165 feet long, 46 feet wide, and 55 feet tall-with a gondola that can accommodate the pilot plus 9 passengers. Snoopy One and Snoopy Two, which are A-60+ models, can carry only 3 passengers plus the pilot. The smaller airships are designed to cover golf events which require them to be nimble and, most of all, quiet.

Snoopy Three is decaled with celebratory artwork and the slogan, “Celebrating 20 Years of the MetLife Blimp.”