Govt. Flights

[Hawker800]

Govt. bashes business aircraft. How does this fit your fancy? Was in ABY yesterday. In comes a military flight. Talk to the crew. They stated that they deadheaded from PA. to CLT. Pick up a general and another officer, (CLT has airline service) fly those folks to ABY, (ABY has airline service) then deadhead back to PA! Two of three legs deadheads. Mighty fine use of my tax dollars. Washington needs to shut the hell up!

 

[LJ45]

amen !!

 

[Jetdriver69]

Are you kidding? I don't know how many times I flew a C-141 empty to destination X when there was cargo that needed to go to destination Y. That thing was about $20,000 an hour to fly and that was in 1990 dollars. I personally must have burned up 100,000's of gallons of jet fuel screwing around in my 21 years. Of course , its called training, not screwing around. This has gone on since the Wright Brothers and continues today. Price the public must pay to have pilots willing to get shot at. Of course, you get to wear ill fitting flight suits, cheap leather jackets and every once in a while you get a shiny medal for your efforts. But I wouldn't trade my time in for anything.

 

[Pez D. Spencer]

I don't think the guy was knocking the military. The branches of military are very good for aviation - they purchase a lot of equipment, planes, and fuel -- keep people employed. I think he was knocking the four letter words in Washington. I can certainly understand those sentiments. Every time they run their mouths, someone in aviation loses a job -- a line guy or gal, a mechanic, an entire flight department, but not a CEO - and the CEO is who they (the bureaucrats) are angry with, but not who they are affecting.

Many corporate flight departments have cut back on flying. Not just because the economy sucks, but also because the A-holes in congress cast a very ugly light on corporate flying. A "perceived" excess is not going over well with the public. So, we fly less, buy less gas, hold off on buying a new plane, and some good people we all know have lost their jobs. It sucks. Hopefully it turns around sooner rather than later.

Yet, every time the Washington pot calls the kettle black, I get a tingle up my leg thinking about that hag Nancy Pelosi cruising around on our dime.

 

[Jetdriver69]

I wasn't trying to bust on the previous post, just to point out that the supposed corporate waste concerning the use of corporate aircraft has nothing on the colossal amounts of waste that the govt/military does have and has always had. My company retired two guys Jan 1, most likely as a cost cutting measure. But we flatly could not do without our jets.

 

[Fblowjets]

Just as bad as taking a 747 from DC to Chicago for a personal trip.

 

[skypine69]

or crawford.

 

[Mason]

People need to wisen up to the fact that govt will tell you what you should, should not, or can't do but sure as hell won't do anything to set an example.

People need to wake the hell up and realize that elections have consequences.

 

[Rake]

Just got off the phone with a friend that's a C17 driver out of Travis. They just started to airline from SFO to Dover on UAL to save money. From there they flew 90 hours in 18 days and then airlined back home.

That's a start, but there's always a lot of fraud, waste, and abuse in the government.

 

[BLUE_MAX]

I have to take issue with this post. First let me say that I without a doubt feel that the 'government' should have no say in the workings of a private company, that should be left to the share holders, or the company officials.
My background is both military and corporate, and have seen the workings of both. I currently fly for OSAA or 'PAT', which is like the DOD version of NetJets. I am sure the 'military flight' you saw in ABY was an OSAA aircraft. It may seem from your perspective that this flight was a waste of money, but you have no idea what the General's mission was that day. I can assure you he was not shopping, golfing or there eating a hamburger. We are a country at war, and the these are the men making important decisions on the lives and welfare of our troops. I just flew the commander of the 82nd Airborne last week. Could he have flown commercial? Sure, but do you really want this man waiting around airports and going through TSA? Not to mention the Top Secret documents being carried. All military air request are looked at for cost effectivenes and priority. The airlines are full of DOD members that did not meet the requirements.
I also have to take issue with Jetdriver69's comments. If you really believe "100,000's of gallons of jet fuel" you used just screwing around did not benefit you as a pilot, I want my money back. Sure we all do the occasional 'training flight', but you are flying the aircraft, and logging valuable time. And even a 'training flight' should be used as a training tool, if not you are to blame.

 

[JJET44]

I have to take issue with this post. First let me say that I without a doubt feel that the 'government' should have no say in the workings of a private company, that should be left to the share holders, or the company officials.
My background is both military and corporate, and have seen the workings of both. I currently fly for OSAA or 'PAT', which is like the DOD version of NetJets. I am sure the 'military flight' you saw in ABY was an OSAA aircraft. It may seem from your perspective that this flight was a waste of money, but you have no idea what the General's mission was that day. I can assure you he was not shopping, golfing or there eating a hamburger. We are a country at war, and the these are the men making important decisions on the lives and welfare of our troops. I just flew the commander of the 82nd Airborne last week. Could he have flown commercial? Sure, but do you really want this man waiting around airports and going through TSA? Not to mention the Top Secret documents being carried. All military air request are looked at for cost effectivenes and priority. The airlines are full of DOD members that did not meet the requirements.
I also have to take issue with Jetdriver69's comments. If you really believe "100,000's of gallons of jet fuel" you used just screwing around did not benefit you as a pilot, I want my money back. Sure we all do the occasional 'training flight', but you are flying the aircraft, and logging valuable time. And even a 'training flight' should be used as a training tool, if not you are to blame.

You're defending your job just like they're defending theirs. The Govt. threw the first stone and should be prepared for return fire.

Originally congress wanted companies receiving bailout money to divest their flight departments as part of the TARP program. They later changed their minds. This country is in debt like we have never seen. Maybe the Govt. should divest their flight department. Let them fly first class or drive to DC in hybrids.

Oh and to let the people know. I did fly in the military and have been deployed. Every month during the first week, the C-21's would fly in with Generals from Germany and other countries for a "short day visit". It is a well known fact that they do this to receive they pay for the month "tax free" because they spent time in a combat zone. How's that for a waste of tax payers' money?

 

[JJET44]

One other thing Blue I was part of a combat ready squadron. As you are aware, if we we're not fighting , we we're training. Every year, toward to the end of the fiscal year, we had money in the budget left over. Op's beefs up the flying so that they use all of the allotted money even though everyone is current and up to speed. This is done so that the budget isn't cut for the following year. So I'm sure that JetDriver was well trained as everyone in the military, but the "use it or lose it" mentality toward the budget in these rough times is FRAUD WASTE AND ABUSE.

 

[Jetdriver69]

Jett
Thanks for the back up. That is exactly what I meant. Use it or lose it. There were time times when you have been gone 250 or more days a year and then you need to fly to "burn flying hours" to meet our program. Not going anywhere good, just boring holes in the sky, shooting approaches, etc. My point is that compared to bizjets, the govt. has absolutely no leg to stand on when comparing wasteful practices.

 

[Diesel]

My point is that compared to bizjets, the govt. has absolutely no leg to stand on when comparing wasteful practices.

You're kidding right?