Huge blank white airship sparks alarm over remote town

A huge blank airship humming over California’s Central Valley sparked alarm among residents who weren’t expecting to see a blimp-like craft floating overhead.

Jessica Dyson of Merced said she heard a strange noise Wednesday before spotting the unusual aircraft flying above her home, according to FOX26.

With concerns about drone attacks making headlines, the sight of a white airship with no banners or logos was enough to stir anxiety — particularly in a region where such aircrafts are rarely seen, the outlet reported.

A similarly unsettling scene played out along California’s Central Coast last month, when a so-called “Doomsday plane” — a military aircraft designed to serve as an airborne command center during national emergencies — was spotted flying unusually low over the region, sparking concern among residents before officials confirmed the flight was part of routine exercises, as previously reported by the California Post.

Airships have also drawn attention elsewhere in California in recent years. In the Bay Area, LTA Research has conducted test flights of its massive Pathfinder 1 aircraft over San Francisco Bay and near the Golden Gate Bridge.

The company was founded by aviation engineer Alan Weston with funding from Google co-founder Sergey Brin, and is working to develop next-generation airships designed for cargo transport and humanitarian missions, according to The San Francisco Standard.

The airship spotted over Merced — which flew from Castle Airport to Moffett Federal Airfield — turned out to be an A-60 airship used for pilot training. It flew over the Central Valley Tuesday and Wednesday FOX26 reported.

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