Navy blimp sent to oil spill duty

McClatchy Newspapers

A Navy blimp is en route to the Gulf Coast this morning to aid in the cleanup efforts of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster, according to a press release from Deepwater Horizon Response External Affairs.

The Navy�s "MZ-3A Airship" should arrive sometime after today at Jack Edwards National Airport in Gulf Shores, Ala., after leaving its home in Yuma, Ariz., last month to head this way.

The airship is more economical to operate and can stay aloft for longer periods of time than helicopters or fixed wing aircraft already in use. Because the airship travels slowly, it will be a helpful platform for aerial observers looking for marine mammals and other wildlife that may be in distress.

Read the complete story at sunherald.com

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