[CINC] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NOAA Twin Otter Aircraft to Support West Coast Ocean Research

[Shauna Bingham]

**

 

Contact:    Sarah Marquis       
                                                *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*

949-222-2212                                                                                                               
Jan. 12, 2009

David Hall

301-713-3066

* *

*NOAA Twin Otter Aircraft to Support West Coast Ocean Research, Management*

/Highly capable plane will support Channel Islands National Marine 
Sanctuary/

 

Senior federal officials today dedicated a specially equipped 
twin-engine NOAA aircraft that will support ocean research and 
management along the West Coast. The NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation 
Operations is basing the plane and flight crew in Monterey, Calif., to 
meet the needs of NOAA programs and national marine sanctuaries.

 

NOAA will use the DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft to observe marine mammals 
and other living ocean resources, conduct offshore and coastal surveys, 
and support emergency response and enforcement missions.

 

"The highly modified aircraft is well-suited for offshore and coastal 
surveys and marine resource management," said John H. Dunnigan, NOAA 
assistant administrator for the National Ocean Service. "We are pleased 
that this valuable asset will serve the West Coast."

 

Built by de Havilland Canada, the Twin Otter is a maneuverable, 
versatile aircraft that can be flown at slow speeds and in tight 
circles. The NOAA version of this high-winged turboprop plane is 
equipped with color weather radar, dual GPS/Loran-C navigation systems, 
radar altimeter, and camera ports in the nose and belly areas. A 
standard flight crew consists of two pilots and up to six scientists.

 

By basing the aircraft in Monterey, NOAA will have the ability to 
quickly monitor and protect the waters off the West Coast and Alaska, 
including five national marine sanctuaries that encompass more than 
9,000 square nautical miles of open ocean and remote, rugged coastlines 
from Washington to the Mexico border. They include Olympic Coast 
National Marine Sanctuary in Washington, Cordell Bank and Gulf of the 
Farallones national marine sanctuaries off San Francisco, Monterey Bay 
National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary 
off Santa Barbara.

 

As part of the NOAA fleet of research and survey ships and aircraft, the 
NOAA Twin Otter will be operated, managed and maintained by NOAA Corps 
officers and civilians with the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center. 
Specific research instrumentation or remote sensing technologies will be 
supplied by program scientists.

 

NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from 
the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and 
manages our coastal and marine resources. Visit http://www.noaa.gov.

 

On the Web:

NOAA Twin Otter: http://www.aoc.noaa.gov/aircraft_otter.htm

NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries: www.sanctuaries.noaa.gov

NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations: http://www.omao.noaa.gov

 

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