Limp blimp still at Cumuto

No decision has been taken on how the aircraft will be returned to the United States. Sources revealed that blimp one cannot be flown, but this was disputed by Penny James of the Special Anti Crime Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (SAUTT), who said Blimp One can be flown to the United States.

Newsday learnt that no decision has been taken by Skyship Management on the future usefulness of blimp one. Blimp one cannot be used to carry out surveillance because it has proven not to be worthy of that. Newsday learnt that blimp one was thoroughly checked by local engineers when it malfunctioned last year. It has been parked in a hangar at Cumuto since November last year after engineers of Worldwide Aeros, the company which Government purchased that blimp from were fired.

Local engineers were hired to try and remedy the problem aboard blimp one but when it was decided that the problem could not be sorted out a decision was made to lease blimp two. The first blimp was purchased by Government for $27 million.

Yesterday, blimp two and three remained parked side by side at Cumuto.

The first blimp and the second blimp are expected to be retrieved by Skyship Management shortly.

When Newsday visited the area where the blimps are being kept, workmen were seen sprucing up the third blimp in preparation for that aircraft’s patrol of the TT skies. The third blimp was purchased at a cost of $15 million.

Newsday learnt that the second blimp which is a leased red, white and blue skyship will be flown out of Trinidad. Government has spent over $53 million on the purchase and outfitting of surveillance equipment for the three blimps.