The luxury plane

[JDPriestly]

There are rumors that the plane Pelosi was to be allowed to use had a game room, etc. What I want to know is -- If the proposed Pelosi plane is so shockingly luxurious, why did the Pentagon have it? How much did it cost in the first place? Who in the Pentagon (or elsewhere in the government) uses it or has used it? How often has it been used? How many flight miles does it have on it? What kind of fuel has it consumed? What does the maintenance cost? How did payment for it get authorized? What corporation outfitted this flying hotel? How much profit did that corporation make on the design, production and manufacture of this supposed flying entertainment center? Are their cheaper forms of transportation available for whoever has been using it thus far? Did you suppose Rumsfeld ever flew in the thing?

And, most important, why hasn't anyone in the press asked these questions already?

The shock to me is not that Pelosi might get to use such a fancy, expensive plane a few times a year but that the Pentagon has the thing in the first place -- and bought it with our hard-earned tax money. Now there is a problem.

[Katherine Brengle]

1. Exactly what I've been wondering. nt

[Double T]

2. Top military brass have ALWAYS had royal treatment............

This is the kind of extravagance and excesses that need to be stopped throughout the government.

[trof]

11. Yup. The General's C-54:

I was in the air guard in the 60s and 70s.
Our commanding general had a C-54.
From the outside it looked like a standard issue Air Force C-54.
Inside was teak and mahogany and red leather.
I have no idea who paid for pimping out the general's buggy, but I'm guessing he didn't write a personal check.
;-)

[Nite Owl]

3. Yeah, who is it that gets to

use this plane too? How many of them are there? And the thing that most get to me is why is the media even paying attention to this, it's a GOP fabrication. When 'the left' wants something to get mentioned, to get talked about, like the Downing Street Memo, we had to write letters, call and do all kinds of stuff and then it wasn't taken seriously for quite a while. Here we got the GOP throwing a tantrum and making headlines over a lie and the corporate media is more than willing to participate. Says it all about their agenda.

[northzax]

5. the 'media' paying attention to it

is Faux and the Washington Times. the AP is writing stories about how stupid the whole arguement is.

[Nite Owl]

9. Not quite

I turned on MSNBC yesterday am and that was the topic of discussion. They had someone from Pelosi's office on and some gop-er and the woman anchor (got no idea who it was, I usually only watch KO at night) was telling the woman from Pelosi's office how this wasn't going to go away. It was the top story until it was displaced by the death of Anna Nichol Smith. Sure they are backtracking and correcting it now but it was given time and the once again the lying gop was given a chance to try to make something of this. They never would have given that time to a dem before checking the story out over an over.

[northzax]

4. there are something like 20 people authorised to use this plane

I recall reading, but can't find now- the Joint Chiefs, the secretaries of the various services, and theater commanders for each of the services.

otherwise, they will be used to ferry multiple people longer distances. it's basically a 757 with a modified interior (modern communications, all business class-type seats and a stateroom for the primary passenger)the Air Force, at least, has four of them. a regular 757-200 costs (well, it's out of production now, but when the last order was placed, Continental bought 15 of them, for 1.2 billion, or about 80 million each. It's a good choice for a mid-long distance smaller craft. the airforce configuration, for instance, can seat 45.

[Old and In the Way]

6. Shame these people aren't outraged about the lost $8.8BB in Iraq

That's like not being able to account for a 1000 757's.

Amazing where the Republic's and their MSM media outlet's priorities are.

[Eurobabe]

7. It's just a distraction to suck eyeballs away from the real issues

Like why the CONS are holding the Iraq debate in congress hostage, a silly little non-starter to distract away from Libby trial, and something tittilating to keep the folks jawboning about Nancy, who is doing a fine job by the way.

The chins should be wagging about unauthorized surging troops, the shredding of the constitution, missing $$$ in Iraq, ad nauseum.

[underpants]

8. You and maxrandb think alike

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=165355&mesg_id=165355

[Patsy Stone]

10. The Air Force contracted them in 2000

and they're leasing them (At least the C-40C for Congress members).

http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=189

C-40B/C

Mission

The C-40 B/C provides safe, comfortable and reliable transportation for U.S. leaders to locations around the world. The C-40B's primary customers are the combatant commanders and C-40C customers include members of the Cabinet and Congress. The aircraft also perform other operational support missions.

Features

The C-40 B/C is based upon the commercial Boeing 737-700 Business Jet. The body of the C-40 is identical to that of the Boeing 737-700, but has winglets. Both models have state of the art avionics equipment, integrated Global Positioning System and Flight Management System/Electronic Flight Instrument System and a heads up display. Heading the safety equipment list is the Traffic Collision Avoidance System and enhanced weather radar. The aircraft is a variant of the Boeing next generation 737-700, and combines the 737-700 fuselage with the wings and landing gear from the larger and heavier 737-800. The basic aircraft has auxiliary fuel tanks, missionized interior with self-sustainment features and managed passenger communications.

The cabin area is equipped with a crew rest area, distinguished visitor compartment with sleep accommodations, two galleys and business class seating with worktables.

The C-40B is designed to be an "office in the sky" for senior military and government leaders. Communications are paramount aboard the C-40B which provides broadband data/video transmit and receive capability as well as clear and secure voice and data communication. It gives combatant commanders the ability to conduct business anywhere around the world using on-board Internet and local area network connections, improved telephones, satellites, television monitors, and facsimile and copy machines. The C-40B also has a computer-based passenger data system.

The C-40C is not equipped with the advanced communications capability of the C-40B. Unique to the C-40C is the capability to change its configuration to accommodate from 42 to 111 passengers.

Background

The Air Force selected the C-40B, a military version of the Boeing 737-700 Business Jet, to replace the aging fleet of C-137 aircraft for U.S. combatant commanders. The Air Force awarded the medium lift contract in August 2000. By using commercial off-the-shelf acquisition practices and a new lease program for the C-40C model, the Air Force reached a benchmark for aircraft procurement. The C-40C was the first military aircraft to be acquired in this manner. The 201st Airlift Squadron, Washington, D.C. National Guard, acquired two C-40C aircraft in October 2002. The C-40C is intended to replace the aging C-22. The 89th Airlift Wing acquired its first C-40B aircraft in December 2002. Both units are based at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. The 15th Airlift Wing, Hickam AFB, Hawaii, acquired its C-40B for U.S. Pacific Command in February 2003.