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Neptune Aviation of Missoula cleared for takeoff

Grounded no longer, Neptune Aviation’s http://www.neptuneaviation.com/ bombers are cleared to fight wildfires.

The safety questions have been answered and the federal contract for seven of the Missoula-based aviation service’s P2V airtankers has been approved, Agriculture Undersecretary Mark Rey said Thursday.

Two airtankers owned by Minden Air Corp., based in Minden, Nev., also got the OK.

All told, 17 civilian airtankers have been contracted by the federal government to fight fires this season, said Rey, who oversees the U.S. Forest Service as the Agriculture Department’s undersecretary for natural resources and environment.

Eight additional slurry bombers are available from the military.

The tankers are an important and relatively inexpensive piece in the national fight against wildfires. Able to quickly drop retardant in remote areas, the bombers are particularly good at attacking small blazes before they grow.

"These aviation assets are critical … . We welcome them back," Rey said.

By ROBERT STRUCKMAN of the Missoulian

Full Story: http://missoulian.com/articles/2005/05/27/news/top/news01.txt

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