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'Snoopy One' blimp arrives in Q-C

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By David Heitz | Tuesday, July 1, 2008 9:44 PM CDT | () comments

It’s not a professional golfer, but one of the most recognizable out-of-town guests for the upcoming John Deere Classic already has arrived.

“Snoopy One,” part of MetLife’s three-blimp fleet, began to circle the skies Tuesday over the Quad-Cities in preparation for the PGA Tour event July 10-13. The blimp arrived early because extra time is built into its schedule in the event of bad weather.

“He’ll probably just fly around every day or two to do an advertising type of thing, but probably won’t be active with the tournament until (next) Thursday,” said Mike Haney, director of operations at Quad-City International Airport, Moline, where the aircraft is moored.

Once the tournament begins, the 130-foot-long blimp will carry a camera operator to provide aerial footage of the event at TPC at Deere Run in Silvis, Ill. The blimp can travel at speeds of up to 55 mph and can withstand winds of up to 25 knots, said Shalana Morris, a MetLife spokeswoman.

The massive balloon holds 68,000 cubic feet of helium and has enough room for three passengers and the pilot. The aircraft is decorated with the words “Have you met life today?” and a picture of Snoopy dressed as a World War I flying ace. The blimp is lit from within with twin 1,000-watt lamps.